Your Skills Can Help Save Lives!
Many of our generous members have asked if there's a way they can sew or donate masks for hospitals and health care workers during the coronavirus pandemic. We have searched diligently for reliable recipients for your hard work and located some reliable resources who are still accepting donations and volunteers! One is Sewing Masks for Atlanta Hospitals, which is currently in need of 3000+ masks her day, and has supplies to create kits for 30,000. That may sound like a lot, but when you do the math: that's TEN DAYS' worth of masks for a city with a population of nearly seven million.
You can help! Visit their site and register to volunteer or donate. Simple as that.
Prefer to keep it local? We're big fans of that, too (the MMQ is based right in Atlanta). In your own community, consider one or more of the following:
- call local hospitals and ask if they're accepting donations or working with an organization who can
- contact local elder-care organizations and ask if they need additional masks
- utilize resources like NextDoor and Freecycle to locate neighbors who can connect you with local hot spots of need
- visit your elderly neighbors and determine if they have home health care workers who move between clients and could benefit from your masks
Free Pattern For Face Masks
Friend of the MMQ, Dana over at Made Everyday, has generously offered not only a pattern for face masks, but a revised version that utilizes fabric ties based on feedback from medical professionals. You can download it here.
Another mask design from long-time MMQ friend Kerry over at Kid Giddy includes step-by-step photos in tutorial format.
Mine are going to a local nursing home assisted living facility..these places have hard time replenishing masks from normal distributors..they truely appreciate all help…and since most have laundry facilities they can be sanitized and reused…thank u all quilters for lending your hands and supplies ..happy quilting everyone!
What a great idea! I am a nurse in Australia and I know that it will be not too long before we run out of face masks too! I wiil down load the pattern and start making some masks too! Stay safe everyone!
Hi! I am making and giving to our local hospital. I was wondering if we would be able to get the March clue if we go past the deadline if we are using our limited sewing time for masks?
Hi, Laura! I’ve discussed this with our Clue Team, and we’re happy to extend the deadline for March bonus clues for folks sewing masks during the pandemic. You can receive your March clue at the same time as your April one! 🙂
thank you! I am printing out April and taking a mask break to work on March and April in the next few weeks.
Hi! Wondering how I can get my March clue? I’ve gotten my April one and posted in both albums on Facebook. Thank you 🙂
Laura
Great idea – I dropped off the masks I made to our local assisted living/rehab facility. Like other small community health care facilities, they were having trouble getting masks (among other supplies) and put out a call for homemade ones.
How wonderful!! I’m so glad to hear that you could help them!!
I started making masks for my daughter who is a PSW working in the community. Her company does not have masks or gloves for their workers. Her coworkers, her friends and her boss all wanted them too, have made 75 masks in the last week. Thank God for my fabric stash.
How wonderful!! Thank you so much for your efforts!!
My hospital in Merced is having the local sewers make them. I’ve been working in them too when I’m not at work. Thank you all for your contributions. It is really appreciated. ?
Deborah, I’ve been busy making and donating over 150 masks and 40 scrub caps for friends/family/local hospital. I finally made time for the March and April blocks, and submitted them yesterday. I’d love to have the March clue as well as April’s. Thank you so much!
My sons are both Firefighters/Paramedics in a small town in northwestern Illinois and they needed fitted masks. So what did they do, call mom to the rescue! Mom of course is now in Naples FL. I designed a mask pattern with 4 different sizes in about 2 part-time weeks (testing design fit and sizes). They are very happy with them so far. The last shipment included a small size for my grandchildren. I have 4 more to go and then I can put my attention back to Egypt!!