The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have released new guidelines that recommend all Americans, especially those living in the hardest-hit areas, wear cloth face masks while in public to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Kaiser Permanente has released a step-by-step guide with photos to help Americans sew their own masks. To view the full guide, you can click here.
Some take away tips from the guide include:
machine washing and drying the fabric you plan to use for your mask before you start sewing. Cloth masks need to be washed after use, and you don’t want the mask to shrink or break. using cotton fabrics because they’re breathable and can withstand excessive washing.
If you plan to sew your own mask, you should be aware that not all fabrics will provide the same protection from virus partials.
According to a report by NBC News, the most effective cloth masks were “constructed of two layers of heavyweight ‘quilters cotton’ with a thread count of at least 180, and had a thicker and tighter weave.”
Masks made of thinner fabrics were also effective when a piece of flannel material was sown between two pieces of thinner fabric.
If you aren’t sure whether your fabric is heavy or lightweight, hold it up to a light source. If you can see the light through the fabric, it’s probably not heavy enough to use for a mask without additional fabric.
