Carolyn and Anna, both Consultants in Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, have started a morale boosting project for their colleagues.
They have initiated the project called #MasksforMaternity asking for anyone that is able to make reusable masks for their maternity teams, who need to wear them during their commute to work.
In the UK, current advice on social distancing is to remain two metres (3 steps) away from others, and wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds. Read the NHS advice here.
You can watch this video from the World Health Organisation – Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public: When and how to use masks.
You can see more on the Instagram page @masks_for_maternity.
VIDEO TUTORIALS
Watch a really simple video tutorial on Sharon Cunningham Designer’s instagram page here.
Here is another tutorial from Erica Arndt with a pattern PDF.
Here is an article from the NY Times with a ‘how to make’ PDF to download.
MATERIALS NEEDED
- Cotton fabric (8×14″ per mask)
- Sharp fabric scissors
- Sewing materials
- Cotton binding tape / elastic / ribbon (to tie masks behind ears)
- Universal Vacuum Cleaner (Cut To Size) Micro filter (to place inside each mask)
SEWING INSTRUCTIONS (From Anna)
- Cut a piece of fabric 8 by 14 inches
- Hem or (as I have for speed) cut short edges with pinking shears so edges don’t fray
- Fold the fabric in half
- Make 3 pleats so that edges are about 4 inches long
- Cut your two pieces of binding (these can be 25-30″ in length), or your elastic
- Make a small cut in each length of binding in the centre, so you can place it in the correct place on the mask when sewing them in place
- Bind the two edges and sew hems in the end of the binding or ribbon (to stop fraying)
- You can either leave long tape on each side (as our hospital ones usually are) so that top and bottom tapes from each side meet and tie behind head and neck. Or can sew elastic loop on each side to go behind ears
- Cut filters to size (4×7″) and insert into the top of the mask (these can be made without the filters if you don’t have that material)
If you are making masks to use personally, you can wash them at 40 degrees, and use again and again.
NOTE: THE MASKS ARE NOT TO BE USED AS PPE – NOT TO BE WORN AT WORK. PLEASE CHECK THE MASKS_FOR_MATERNITY INSTAGRAM (THE FIRST 2 POSTS IN THE FEED) FOR FACTUAL ACCURACY. YOU CAN WEAR THE ‘MORALE BOOSTING’ MASKS ON YOUR COMMUTE. INFO ON LINK HERE. PLEASE PLACE THE MASK IN A PLASTIC BAG. AVOID CROSS CONTAMINATION. WASH YOUR HANDS. WASH THE MASK DAILY BY ITSELF IN THE WASHING MACHINE ON A 40* CYCLE, AND LEAVE OUT TO DRY.
DELIVERY
Contact Sian directly on Email: sian.gwilliam@me.com to arrange the best location for delivery. Please don’t deliver direct to the hospital.
FURTHER INFO
Anna Lawin OBrien, Consultant Obstetrician – Obstetrics And Gynaecology, The Whittington Hospital
Carolyn Paul, Consultant Obstetrician – Miss Paul is a general obstetrician with a special interest in fetal medicine. She is the lead consultant for the Young Persons’ (Teenage Pregnancy) Team. She is also a UCL medical student support tutor.
Masks for Maternity– A London Obstetrician initiated morale boosting project in Covid 19 times. Connecting the community to Whittington Maternity care workers. Masks to go!
Staff at the Sir John Cass School of Art, Architecture and Design at London Met, and their families and friends, have sewn nearly 500 face masks over the past week for use in maternity wards in hospitals, where staff are lacking protective gear amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. (Posted 30-March)
Creative Bus Stop 