Well, I agree, distance is the key. Heck, its been several years since another person has been in my house or on my property. I doubt the little paddles would impress anyone who might get close enough to see them. And if they were or weren’t, so what. And I’ve no doubt at all that you have consciousness, and a fine sense of humor as well.
Sorry if the Kotke didn’t appeal - It was a reasonably good quality recording of the song, was all. It was the lyrics I was after. There are little examples of altruism and charity all around us, and they aren’t entirely awful things. Like Pcom. masks. They might not make a lot of differance, but they don’t do a lot of harm either. To each his/her own.
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Actually, I’m the mask maker that Celia has mentioned (and I thank her for her discretion) and I’ve become an unexpected expert in them over the past couple of months during which I cranked out several hundred for donations to critical workers and volunteers with social service agencies and non-profits.
The point has NEVER been to provide medical grade N95 type PPE, which is not the function of re-usable “spit masks” which is what these are. A huge problem has been that those medical personnel who are in direct contact with infected patients have to be prioritized to get whatever available medical grade masks that can be sourced. With the Feds screwing up the procurement lines horribly this has created a massive shortage. Even ER and surgical personnel are not getting as many disposables as they should and are sometimes having to wear the same N95 mask for up to a week, which is obscene and dangerous, not to mention gross.
Bottom line – anything the front line can use they get, which means that regular workers who would normally get surgical of N95 masks for more routine, but now more urgent, sanitary protection for themselves and clients, get NOTHING. ICU workers are even wearing the spit mask disposables over their scarce N95 masks to try to keep them cleaner for the absurdly long times they are expected to re-use them.
So we provide WASHABLE, even sterilizable, hand made masks to second line workers and to vulnerable populations. My batches have gone to nursing home CNA’s, visiting nurses and social workers, volunteers who do outreach to the homeless and to resettled refugees, food bank packers and drivers and even 120 matching khaki masks to the local Air National Guard troops who have been mobilized to make deliveries of critical medical equipment. We have even designed and made oversized cloth masks for ICU personnel to wear over their N95 and D100 total blockage masks to keep them cleaner. The CDC has determined that these can be heat sterilized and are a valid backup. I have even made masks with a clear window so that therapists and social workers with the hearing impaired can communicate via lip reading.
I was sharing mine for donations to cover my material and gas expenses in providing the freebies to the needy and most friends and family were happy to kick in $10 to $20 each for them. They are running from $5 plus shipping for a minimal ear loop version (on Etsy) to up to $20 for nicer ones like I make with pockets for filtration media. So the P,com version is not out of bounds at all at $20. You pay more for a p.com logo tee shirt than you would for a plain tee shirt from Target, right? Why would this be any different?
Despite negative grumbling about them, well made fabric masks, properly worn and kept clean, can reduce potential airborne particulate transmission of pathogens BOTH WAYS as much as 80%. I got feedback from users and devised designs that meet the recommended criteria from the CDC with some enhancements for comfort and durability. I made a half dozen for myself and rotate them by throwing them in the wash with regular laundry, Since I had pre-washed all the materials before making them they do not shrink and the materials can withstand the dryer.
When I come home from being out in public, I remove my mask and dunk it in a bowl of dishwasher detergent and water on the kitchen counter. Then I do the 20 second hand wash. Eventually that mask and any others I have worn go into the laundry or I stuff them in the silverware basket in the dishwasher before I run it with the dishes. That will eventually fade the fabric print somewhat, but who cares?
I quit making them for the organized group because there was too much squabbling amongst the participants and too many undeserving groups and individuals clamoring for freebies which I and the other volunteers were spending 100’s of dollars and hours of time making. I am still sewing bunches of them, giving some small amounts to organizations I know of that can use them, but mostly to share with friends and family, and selling a few (though that is a hassle because you get a lot of dumbasses showing up at your house not following distancing protocol and wasting your time.)
If anyone wants to make themselves some like mine I can send you links to the instructional diagrams and photos I produced to show how to sew them. They are far more comfortable, adjustable and handy than the ear-loop style or the ones with ties (like the p.com version) most places have for sale. Mine include an embedded flexible metal nosepiece for better fit (especially with glasses). I even designed some for kids that they can tolerate and not pull off and lose or strangle themselves with.
Here’s a picture of the double layer dense cotton style that I make for most people, with the flexible nose piece sewn inside and an adjustable continual loop of lingerie grade elastic that can be replaced with other types of ties or converted to ear loops rather than around the head and neck. The elastic runs through tunnels so it can be infinitely adjusted to fit Nice thing about this type is you can slide it down around your neck when not in use (like in your car on the way to the grocery store, or hiking with nobody around you) but then can quickly pull it up over your face as needed. Won’t interfere with hearing aids and you don’t have to find a pocket to stash it in when you take it off.
By the way, the CDC does NOT recommend using tee shirt knit for masks because when the knit stretches it has large porous openings and does not pass their “daylight” filtration tests.
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Well, good on you, willowleaf. Thank you. There is need for what you do.
Lacking a sewing machine, I hand stitched up a pleated pocketed one a while ago (to use with a double layer HEPA vacuum cleaner bag insert) but my sewing skills are quite poor and it hasn’t held up to washing well. Took me quite a while to do also… So I’m back to the bandana for now. For no more outside contact than I have, it should protect others well enough to pass on a trail or in a grocery store as long as I don’t cough.
But a better one, such as yours, would be better.
I like your masks Willowleaf… The one I made looks plain compared. My outside layer is from the legs of a pair of trekking pants I wore years ago and lined with a Bandana I wore yeas ago. Bungee cord and barrel lock was left over from making Tuiliks
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As I keep pointing out to those with whom I share the masks: when we get past the plague they can all be re-purposed in pairs as bikini tops or singly as cod-pieces.
Have also found that they make cute cat caps, though the cats have so far not come round to agreement with me on that. Thus I cannot provide photographic proof (yet.)
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To me, your design is much cooler than the pnet, er, pcom ones 
(I can’t even sew a simple sail for my canoe/kayaks–I use tarps, glue and tape!
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We’ll have to get together for a real campfire and paddle when this whole need for a mask thing is over. My wife’s from Wisconsin and I’ve only ever done Door County and Lake Michigan there. I’ll even bring a guitar 
helpful hint: if you put a small piece of two sided tape on your kitty’s head it will help hold their cap in place
You bet! I bet you’d like the Bois Brule or the Jump River, if the levels are up… Or the Flambeau…
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Aha, finally purr-suaded the dumber cat to model a mask (by getting him well stoned on catnip). The much savvier tuxedo hanging out behind him was having none of it.
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I think the colors work well on him!
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OK, I have to admit that’s very cute and stylish. In my experience when a kitty’s pupils are that big it’s best not to touch their tummy.
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Nah, he’s a big old wuss. Loves the attention – the dilated pupils are probably a combo of catnip intoxication and lust for being fussed over. After I took the shot he curled up and fell asleep still wearing the “hat”.
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I don’t have a problem with pnet’s mask pricing. They host this forum for us and even provide hosting for the photos we upload. The patterns on the masks are unique and some might like that. It’s no different than buying a pricey tee shirt.
As a man with a 1940’s sewing machine I made my own. Masks are a great item to make because crappy sewing skills really don’t show up.
I would have happily made all my own had I a working sewing machine. But since I don’t, I decided instead to buy from outfits that were going to do something charitable along with the purchase. One place I am waiting on in CA sends money to food banks for each mask purchased.
In my younger days the only way I had new outfits for school was if I sewed them myself, so I can sew. I hand sewed one that is pretty Rube Goldberg but it works and hold a filter, just to get a sense of what I should do next.
It is usable and actually relatively comfortable, used a very worn denim shirt that was never going to worn again. And it beats the heck of the bandanna I was using early on. But it still does not work as well as the ones sewn people who are really doing this.
I just returned from the local Farmer’s Market, re-instituted with all kinds of crowd control and distancing provisions. It is a lot warmer today and I am realizing that, come hotter weather, I am going to prefer distancing from people to being anywhere I have to wear it for a long time period.
My wonderful wife made some and experimented until she was satisfied with the design/fit. We also received a few from friends with strong sewing skills. Also bought a couple from a place where all profits go to covid causes. If we need more we’re all in trouble. Willowleaf’s look awesome but I was hoping for paisley.
Willowleaf may have gotten some paisley, I am probably not the only one who sent her money to buy more material in thanks for masks. Might be worth PM’ing her if you have a specific design gap. She took pity on me after seeing my hand sewn effort.
I am finding the one w/o a filter to be the most comfortable to wear, so I use that for places where I am largely going to be able to distance and a filtered one for stuff like grocery stores.
The other thing that is becoming apparent as a longer term need is a keeper of some kind to stop the elastic from digging behind your ears. Doesn’t do much for anyone coif but more comfy. I am seeing more products online to do this.
I took the “guy” approach - went with the first design I found. It does have a filter pocket and a sleeve for a nose wire, plus a lot of positive comments. To keep it extra manly, I used 12 gauge electrical wire for the nose wire. The wire is essentially rigid once you shape it. I used some old shirts my wife had saved for the fabric. I imagine a real sewer could make one of these pretty quickly. With tracing the pattern and cutting the cloth, and then a lot of pinning and unpinning, it takes me about an hour and a half. So for a slow sewer like me, 10 dollars for a pnet mask (plus $10 donation) doesn’t seem so bad.
You need 168F or higher for 30 minutes if you’re sanitizing by heat. That requirement also excludes your clothes dryer which reaches a max of about 130 or so.
People keep thinking it has to be complicated to kill this virus. I doesn’t have to be. Soap dissolves the virus’ coating and it falls apart. Soak them in a warm soapy solution and dry them in the sun, air or dryer.
I just put the mask l was using on a foray out under hot water w disinfecting dish detergent. Wash it and my hands together. Just am relying on air dry, so for ex yesterday was three times out the door and 3 masks. Farmers Market, walk to the minicipal park and hanging out on the front porch as people came by. Some chat w neighbors.