Sewers and supplies desperately needed

As you probably have heard, local hospitals are getting dangerously low on face masks. Thanks to several agencies and businesses reaching out via social media, a lot of volunteers have stepped up to offer their assistance, but supplies are also needed.

Today I received this email from our friends at The Village Quilt Shoppe, whose owners Vanetta and Monique are helping lead the charge in this effort, asking to help spread the word. They included this letter from the staff at Strong Memorial Hospital detailing their needs:

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Emergency healthcare workers are writing to you with an urgent request in this trying time. The unfortunate truth of the COVID-19 epidemic is that there is an inadequate number of surgical masks to keep healthcare workers safe while we care for infected patients. This is particularly concerning as infected healthcare workers are unable to work which reduces the number of patients that we can care for. Given the nature of this illness, infected healthcare workers could spread the virus to healthy patients prior to exhibiting symptoms; in fact, many people who have COVID-19 are completely asymptomatic but are still contagious.

We expect to see more cases in the coming days and weeks, and we will run out of masks before the manufacturing sector can make and distribute replacements. We anticipate that we will be left with handkerchiefs as our only protection between us and patients infected with COVID-19. We are asking you to help by making as many masks as you are willing and capable of making to help keep the emergency healthcare workers safe.

There are several instructional videos on YouTube…. Some feature “N95 type” with
replaceable filters which offer a benchmark of protection that is desirable but not truly necessary. If you are able to sew the fabric portion without the filter we would be equally as grateful.

Monique adds,

They are inserting a Merv13 anti-viral filter that is typically used in furnaces. If you have any of those or want to purchase them from any local hardware and include them with the masks that would be much appreciated. This is a grass roots effort with zero funding.

I am also sending a link to the Hickey Freeman project working for Rochester General. They are not quite up and running yet but you can register at this email and they will also need sewists: workfromhome@robertjeffery.us

You can find directions on how to fashion a mask at this website.

Here also is a video tutorial of the kind of mask that The Quilt Shoppe volunteers will be working on.

Supplies also needed

For those of us (like me) who did not get the sewing gene, we can help by donating supplies. Here’s what’s needed:

1/4 “elastic (if you have wider we can cut it to size)
5” or larger metal twist ties
Cotton fabric (no stretch, tight weave)
MERV 13 air filter (these are optional)

The Village Quilt Shoppe is happy to collect the supplies and completed masks.  To connect with them, and for more information on exactly what supplies are needed, check out their website here.

Also, if you live or know someone who lives near Fairport, Sew Creative in Perinton is also looking for sewers and supplies.

THANK YOU EVERYONE! The Webster community is amazing.

* * *

email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Twitter and Instagram

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

Tags: face masks, village quilt shoppe