La Atelier: 2020

Premise

This guide to making cloth masks is part of a ‘community protection’ containment strategy for COVID-19. COVID-19’s most useful tool is the unknown infected individual. Some people who catch the coronavirus are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic – this allows them to slip past our current containment strategies and unknowingly spread the virus in public.

However, if everyone wears a reusable mask (e.g. a cloth mask) in public, the unknown infected individuals will also be masked, limiting their ability to spread the virus widely.

Although a cloth mask is not very effective at protecting its wearer from catching the virus, it is very effective at containing the contaminated aerosol issuing from an infectious individual. In addition, any contaminants that escape from the mask will also not be able to travel very far.

This strategy calls for YOU to wear a mask in public to protect others in case you are a silent carrier. If everyone does this, protection will be conferred on the entire community.

Please share this information and make a cloth mask for yourself, your family, your friends, your colleagues and start wearing them. The more masks you put on other people, the more protected everybody is. This strategy will help slow infection rates, even in areas where the virus is already free spreading. Together with other properly executed containment strategies such as social distancing, good hygiene, contact tracing and self-quarantine, it is even possible to reverse the situation in affected communities.

Advisory

Do NOT put masks on individuals who cannot remove them without assistance. This includes infants and the frail elderly; it is a suffocation hazard to them.
DO refrain from wearing masks if you experience genuine breathing difficulties with it.
Do NOT sleep with a mask on, this is very dangerous.
For the majority of us who are able to wear a mask, DO understand that a seemingly healthy individual may have underlying medical problems that precludes them from wearing a mask.
Do NOT apply any type of ‘waterproof spray’ on the mask. These substances have been linked to respiratory damage and may cause you problems in the long run.
Do NOT wear a cloth mask to a high risk area such as hospitals and clinics (unless you really do not have access to surgical or N95 masks).
Do NOT hoard cloth masks and the materials used to make them. Remember that everyone needs to wear a mask for the strategy to be effective. Buy what you need and leave the rest for others.
When shopping for fabric, do NOT put the product to your face to check if the fabric is ‘breathable’. This is very unhygienic and puts you and others at risk of infection.
Same goes when shopping for cloth masks; do NOT try them on.
Wash you mask BEFORE using it for the first time.
DO continue to practice social distancing, good hygiene and follow the quarantine/lockdown instructions of your government.

Machine Sewing – Basic Guide

Sewing Machine 101:

Basic sewing machines use a needle and mechanisms to work 2 threads into a stitch.
The top thread comes from a spool and the bottom thread comes from a bobbin, which is essentially a smaller plastic spool.
You will need to fill the bobbin with thread from the main spool (there is a mechanism in every sewing machine for this to achieve the correct tension) and load both threads into the machine.
Every sewing machine is slightly different, so consult your manual on how to do this.

Parts of a Sewing Machine:

Foot Controller:

Sewing machines come with a foot pedal that you press to get the machine going.
The amount of pressure you place on the foot pedal will dictate how fast the machine goes.

Balance/Hand Wheel:

Turning the balance wheel does the same thing as what pressing the foot controller does.
The wheel allows you to adjust the needle position and fine tune the stitch.
In most sewing machines, turning the balance wheel towards you (counterclockwise) makes the machine stitch forwards and vice versa.
There is usually a marking on the balance wheel that, when lined up with a marking on the sewing machine, indicates that the needle it at its highest point.

Needle Assembly:

This is the assembly that moves up and down to make the stitch.
During operation, ensure that your fingers do NOT go under the needle when it is moving.
Turn the balance wheel a full circle and take note of the components that move up and down, you do NOT want your hand to be in the way of these components during operation.

Presser Foot:

This is a metal foot that holds the fabric down during sewing.
It works in tandem with the feed dog below to move the cloth forwards or backwards.
There is a lever to engage/disengage the presser foot (i.e. move it up and down).
You move the presser foot up, put your fabric underneath it and engage the presser foot to lock the fabric in place.

Reverse Sewing Lever:

Pressing this lever will make the machine sew backwards.
This can be done while the machine is in operation – stitches done without pressing the lever will be forward stitches and stitches done with the lever pressed will be reverse stitches (the feed dogs will move the cloth backwards).

Pattern Selection Dial:

This allows you to select the stitch pattern on your sewing machine.
Only turn the dial when the needle is at its highest point and not in any fabric. This is because the needle will shift position when you rotate the dial and may get damaged if it is engaged.

Making Stitches:

Move the needle to it’s highest point.
Select the stitch pattern you want with the pattern selection dial.
Load the top and bottom threads.
Disengage the presser foot, place the fabric under the presser foot and engage the presser foot.
Turn the balance wheel forward (counterclockwise) to sink the needle into the fabric.
Press lightly on the foot controller and make around 5 forward stitches.
Press the reverse sewing lever and make around the same number of stitches backwards. This is called a backstitch.
A backstitch serves to lock the ends of the thread in place via the mess of thread it creates.
Release the reverse sewing lever and continue to sew forwards.
At the end of the stitch, do another backstitch to lock the other end of the thread in place (stitch to the end, reverse stitch around 5 stitches and forward stitch again till the end of the stitch).
Disengage the presser foot, take the cloth out and cut the threads. You should leave a decent amount of thread (5cm or more) behind. (disengaging the presser foot allows you to pull more thread freely through the machine).
Let the excess thread fall towards the back of the sewing machine so it does not get stuck in your next stitch.

Hemming:

The bare ends of a piece of fabric are prone to fraying – individuals threads pull out easily and the fabric begins to unravel.
Hemming is a basic sewing operation that prevents fraying.
One of the most basic hems is a double fold hem.
The end of the cloth is folded in twice, this hides the end of the fabric inside the fold and protects it from damage.
The fold is then stitched to prevent it from coming apart.
Use small clips (e.g. paper clips) or pins to hold the fold in place before stitching.
Remove the clips/pins as it nears the needle of your sewing machine. Do NOT stitch over pins or clips. This will damage the needle.
You can also iron the folds so that they hold better. This will result in better work, but is not absolutely necessary.

Miscellaneous

Threading a Needle:

If you have trouble getting a thread through the needle, cut a little off the end of the thread with a pair of sharp scissors.
This is because the end of the thread tends to fray over time and the little hairs sticking out prevent the thread from going through the eye of the needle easily.
If you are still having trouble, apply a little water to the end of the thread and straighten it (by twisting it) before trying again.

Cutting Cloth:

Using a pair of sharp scissors to cut your cloth will give much better results.
Try to align the cloth pattern with the direction of the threads (i.e. straight lines should be parallel with the horizontal or vertical threads as much as possible).

Marking Cloth:

You can use a pencil to mark your cloth.
Professionals use tailor’s chalk to mark their cloth. This can be purchased at any sewing store.
White chalk is used to mark dark cloth and colored chalk is used to mark light cloth.
If you are making many masks, cut out a piece of cardboard to create a template for marking.

Pins & Needles:

If you are using pins or loose needles, prepare something (e.g. a pincushion, magnet or sponge) to stick them to when not in use.
Count out a specific number of pins and make sure that the exact same number go back into the container when you are done.
Use a torchlight and magnet to find any missing pins before your foot finds them!

Hand Sewing – Basic Guide

For those who do not have access to a sewing machine, you can stitch the mask by hand.

Thimbles:

In addition to a needle and thread, you might want to get a thimble.
A thimble is basically a protective cap that is put around the finger (typically the middle finger) that pushes the needle through the fabric.
You can buy a thimble from the store or make one out of scrap leather or a similar material.

Double Threading your Needle:

After threading your needle, pull the end of the thread through to match the other end of the thread and tie them together.
This is called double threading; each stitch you make will now have 2 threads running through it
This is stronger than a single threaded stitch.

Backstitch:

This is a strong stitch that is easy to do.
Start the stitch by making a few stationary backstitches:

This involves putting a few stitches through the same position (around 5 times), looping them around to create a small mess of threads.
This locks the ends of the thread in place.
While looping the threads, create a knot (by passing the thread through the previous loop) somewhere in the middle to secure the stationary backstitch further.
Continue by stitching forward:
Thread the needle through the fabric to the other side [Hole 1]
Thread the needle back through the fabric to the original side around 5mm forward [Hole 2]
Bring the needle back to [Hole 1] and thread the needle through to the other side.
Thread the needle back through to the original side 5mm forward of [Hole 2] to make [Hole 3].
Bring the needle back to [Hole 2] and thread the needle through to the other side.
Thread the needle back through to the original side 5mm forward of [Hole 3] to make [Hole 4].

Continue this pattern of sewing till you reach the end of your stitch.

Make sure to pull the thread fully through and tension each stitch.
If the stitches wrinkle up, you are over tensioning the stitch.
Finish the stitch by making a few stationary backstitches as with the start of the stitch to secure the ends of the thread.

Material Selection

Thread:

If you are using a sewing machine, purchase thread of a decent quality. Poor quality thread tends to snap often when used in a machine.
For aesthetic purposes, select a thread that matches the color of your cloth.

Fabric:

Choose a breathable fabric for your mask. Fabrics made out of cotton (e.g. denim, drill cotton, quilting cotton, calico cotton...) are usually a good choice.
You can also use non-woven polypropylene for the outer layer, which some reusable grocery/tote bags are made out of. This material is hydrophobic and may provide additional protection.
Choose a thinner cloth for comfort if you are making a 2 layer mask (which this tutorial is about).
Choose a thicker cloth if you are making a 1 layer mask.
You may choose to make the masks from your old clothes instead of going out to buy new fabric.

Elastic Band:

A thinner band (4mm or less in width) has more aesthetic appeal, but may be less comfortable.
A thicker band (5mm or more in width) is more comfortable as it will help spread the pressure out over a larger surface area.
You may also use string or rubber bands in place of elastic bands if none is available.

Metal Strip (For Nose Bridge):

Twist tie is a good option. You should be able to find some around your house.
Alternatively, you can recycle the nose bridge from a used surgical or N95 mask. Remember to wash them first.

Making a DIY Cloth Mask

This is a very simple, no pleat cloth mask design that features straight cuts and stitches only.
There are 2 components to the mask: the main body and the pocket.
The main body is the front of the mask and will house the nose bridge and elastic straps.
The pocket of the mask is a smaller piece of fabric that is sewn onto the back of the main body. This will create a 2 ply mask with a pocket for additional filter material.
All measurements used here are in millimeters (mm).

Sewing the Main Body:

Sew a double fold hem (12mm) into the top and bottom of the main body.
Insert the metal strip (e.g. twist tie) for the nose bridge into the pocket formed by the top hem.
Sew a double fold hem into the left and right sides of the main body. This is where the elastic straps will go through.
Your sewing machine may have trouble stitching the left and right hems at the ends where they intersect with the top and bottom hems.
To fix this, sew the ends separately using your sewing machine’s buttonhole stitch function – the stitch that forms the top and the bottom of a buttonhole is perfect for securing the ends.

Sewing the Pocket:

Sew a double fold hem into the top of the pocket.
Align the pocket with the main body.
Tuck the sides in once and sew the pocket to the main body.
A double fold hem here is not necessary as the edge of the fabric is fairly protected by being inside the pocket.

Threading the Elastic Strap:

Choose between ear loops and straps that go around the back of your head (recommended)
Although ear loops are less conspicuous, they may turn out to be quite irritating after a while.
Having straps that go around the back of your head results in a mask with a tighter fit. The straps can be also adjusted if a particular area gets sore. This is recommended for long term wear.
For ear loops, cut two lengths of elastic band and thread them through the pockets formed by the double hems on the left and the right side and tie them off.
For straps that go around the back of your head, cut an elastic strap around 55cm long. Thread it through the top of the left hem, out the bottom of the left hem, through the bottom of the right hem and back up through the top of the right hem. Tie the ends of the elastic band off.
Use a metal wire with a loop on one end to get the elastic strap through the fold. If you don’t have metal wire at home, you can use a thin wooden stick or sacrifice one of your clothes hangers.

Usage Instructions

Put the cloth mask on and ‘pull’ on the straps.
The left and right sides of the mask should ‘wrinkle’ up to form the ‘pleats’ you see in standard surgical masks.
Wear a cloth mask when you are in public spaces whenever possible.
Try to minimize the time you spend in public without a mask – for example, when you are eating or drinking, sit down and finish your meal, do not walk down the street munching on snacks.

Washing Your Masks:

Wash your mask after every use.
Remove your mask gently to avoid dislodging any contaminants from it.
Place your cloth mask in a container of soapy water.
Gently lather/rub additional soap into the mask.
Let the mask sit in the soapy water for a while (15 minutes) so that they soap can reach all corners of the mask and do its job.
You can now place your mask in the washing machine or continue to hand wash your mask in a fresh container of soapy water.
Alternatively, you can also boil your masks for 10 minutes. However, note that some fabric materials (e.g. elastic straps) do not respond well to repeated boiling. Boil a single test mask first to see if this method works for your masks.

Miscellaneous Information & Resources

There are many other mask designs out on the internet – go look for them and sew your favorite!
You may use items such as bandanas and balaclavas as temporary substitutes for a cloth mask.

Another temporary solution would be to wash and reuse surgical and N95 masks.
Washing in this case should be ‘acceptable’ as exclusion is no longer a priority in this strategy – a washed mask will still be effective at containment.
This should only be applied to masks worn in the general public where potential exposure to COVID-19 is usually transient and limited.
Please dispose of any surgical or N95 masks worn in a high-risk area.
However, in the long term, the use of cloth masks would be preferable as it will not put a strain on the mask supply for medical professionals.