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North Shore Fabric Masks for Health Professionals Sew and donate face masks For health care professionals

How can I help?

  • Sew fabric face masks (directions/drop off sites listed below)
  • Donate fabric, thread, elastic (rope, beading cord, or 1/8" flat)
  • Donate wrapped candy, granola bars, power bars, fruit snacks.
  • Can't sew? Be a runner. We need help moving resources from town to town, . Sign up here if you'd like to help!
  • Can't sew? Be a cutter. To increase production speed we could use people willing to cut material according to these dimensions. Sign up here if you'd like to help!

Resources for making a mask

  • View the step-by-step video for the BASIC CDC recommended pattern, with the written directions. (Note the video suggests 6" x 9" masks, however the health care professionals we serve are asking for 7" x 9")
  • OR
  • try your hand at this innovative fabric mask design that can be used over an N95, and features a nose bridge wire for adaptable fit and a split liner to easily slide in a filter material. I STRONGLY recommend FIRST watching the YouTube video beginning at 1:46. Ignore any of the pattern making as well as any added seam allowance that is shown in the video when cutting fabric. There will be additional required steps in the printed directions, after the video ends.
  • How to use a rotary cutter
  • Making ties
  • Deaconess style mask

Where can I dropoff masks or materials?

  • Beverly, MA = 38 Lexington Dr.
  • Danvers, MA = 42 Centre St.
  • Lynnfield, MA = 80 Canterbury Rd.
  • Georgetown = 31 Pillsbury Street
  • Rockport, MA = 267 Main St.
  • Salem, MA = 7 Granite St.
  • PLEASE remember to WASH Your hands before dropping off, and after dropping off.

FAQs

Where are the masks going? Presently we're delivering to: Beverly Hospital, Bringham & Womens, Winchester Hospital, Anna Jacques Hospital, Lawrence Hospital, assisted living facilities (Devereux House, Rosewood, Layfayette, Grosvenor Park, and Brudnick); Care One, Sunrise, Right at Home and other group homes on the North Shore.

Do I need to pre-wash my material? Yes, please wash on 'hot.' This will shrink the fabric, insuring minimal shrinking later.

What size masks are we making? The PDF directions have both child and adult sized masks. Which are we making? We are making them for health care professionals, please make only adult mask.

Where can I find elastic? Elastic is scarce right now. As an alternative consider:

  • 1) Please visit our Facebook page, put in a request, and we'll let you know if any of our North Shore drop sites have elastic we can set aside for you.
  • 2) As an alternative to elastic, consider ties instead. Ties must be 19" long on each side of the top and 16" long on each side of the bottom
  • 3) Also consider braiding your own bead elastic (you will need 9" strands since you are braiding the elastic);
  • 4) Comfort fit headband elastic from CVS or Walgreens;
  • 5) Cutting thicker elastic down the middle (you may want to sew the edges so they don't fray)

I'm a medical professional where can I get masks? If your health care institution is on the North Shore of Massachusetts, we exist to support you. Please fill out this form, and we will contact you. If you are not in the North Shore region of Massachusetts, please visit the Million Masks Challenge to find a group in your area.

How do I go about starting my own mask making group? There's lots of excellent advice out there, here's ours

More Questions?

See the North Shore Masks for Health Care Professionals Facebook page for tips and suggestions. We continue to monitor the Facebook page and update our FAQ's

Contacts

Thank you, we're all in this together!