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Nimble-fingered islanders have been creating hundreds of handmade masks and headbands for health workers and the wider community, with one vowing to keep going until she has "no fingertips left."
The surge in demand for cloth masks came after Jersey’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr Ivan Muscat, “strongly recommended” that islanders and essential workers wear non-medical face coverings when in public places.
He explained that the fabric coverings provide an additional defence against the spread of covid-19.
But some local seamstresses had already started making cloth masks long before the advice.
Denise of Needletweedle made her first mask two weeks ago after one of her neighbours asked her for a couple.
A professional seamstress, Denise is used to creating wedding dresses and had to turn to YouTube to learn how to make cloth masks. Luckily, she says, the pattern was quite easy and, having completed her first ‘order’, she offered her sewing services to anyone in need of a mask.
Having since “mastered the art” of making them, Denise now only needs 10 minutes to complete a mask, with three layers of cotton and elastics. While she says they look “professional”, they are not suitable for nurses and can only be worn for up to two hours.
So far, Denise has made 78 masks and another 70 are waiting to be made, but she is refusing to take any money for her work and instead asking people to make donations to the covid-19 JustGiving page or a charity of their choice.
“It’s only a bit of my time and material,” Denise said, adding that islanders have been donating fabric and elastics to help her efforts.
Anyone wishing to get a mask simply has to contact Denise and send her a stamped, self-addressed envelope so that she can send it back.
“It’s important that people who cannot make [masks] get them locally,” Denise said. “I will keep making them until I run out of materials or I have no fingertips left.
“If there’s something we can do to help others, we have to. Everybody is the same. It is like war times. I am pleased to be able to do this and be part of this.”
Textile artist, Rachel Concannon has also been putting her skills to good use while her shop, Rachels’ Textiles Studio, is closed to the public.
She has created a batch of fitted masks, which have been sent to New Horizons for their team of support workers.
The Loving Chair Company, a local furniture business, also joined in, offering material packs for islanders to make their own masks, including a template, instructions as well as straps and cotton wadding. They also shared a ‘How to…’ video explaining the process.
Available for a donation of £5, the packs aimed to help islanders stay safe but also to support “some local causes that are helping the most vulnerable through these difficult times”, with the money being split between Beresford Street Kitchen and The Salvation Army.
Video: The Loving Chair Company created material packs for Islanders to make their own face masks.
While the initial stock of material packs has sold out, TLC said yesterday they were “busy” putting together more.
The company also announced they would be setting aside two hours of their seamstress's time each day at the factory to produce masks that can be ordered ready-made for £12.50 with £2.50 delivery to be posted by 14 April.
For every mask sold, TLC said they will donate one to a local care giver, essential worker or vulnerable person in need.
“Help us support those who are caring for others in our community, whilst also receiving a mask for yourself,” the company wrote on social media. “This is a not-for-profit initiative, with the £12.50 covering all costs for your personal mask and your donated mask only.”
Meanwhile, a sewing enthusiast has been creating headbands for healthcare staff to save their ears from getting sore from having to wear face masks all day.
Laura Cranie made her first headband after seeing a post from an American healthcare worker explaining how painful wearing a mask all day was.
After seeing the post, Laura requested some buttons, sharing her appeal on the ‘Coronavirus Jersey – Acts of Kindness’ group following the advice of a friend. “I was inundated with offers and also requests already for when they were completed,” she said.
Thank you so much to Laura for this random act of kindness! Great way to save our ears! @Lisa73115502 @KiraJayne1 @ChiefNurseJsy @jessiem11898218 @becksherrington pic.twitter.com/5OtOf77sVd
— Melissa Gorman (@MelissaGorman_1) April 7, 2020
It only took Laura a day and several prototypes using different methods and fabrics to figure out a pattern and she now can create one in just 25 minutes, although when her eldest daughter, Naiomi, gets involved, the process is sped up.
Laura cleans all fabrics and use a steam iron on the headbands before wrapping them up in paper packaging to avoid cross contamination.
The mother-of-four says she has had to fit the sewing into her day and mainly evenings while her husband, an essential worker based in town, has been delivering the finished headbands to the hospital and ambulance headquarters for her.
“I personally find sewing quite therapeutic and wanted to do any little to help frontline workers and say thank you for the amazing work they are doing in this trying time,” Laura said.
“Luckily I’ve been brought up sewing as my mother’s profession was a seamstress so knew this would be something I could do.”
Needleworkers are not the only ones who have put their skillset to the service of the local community.
A growing number of 3D printing pros are using their machines to help make protective face visors for health staff.
Over 40 islanders have pulled together in the ‘Open Source Respirators’ Facebook group to join a global initiative to 3D-print the visors, which consist of a headband that sits over the top of the head on the eyebrow with a large sheet of clear plastic sitting in front of the face.
Sparky’s propshop’, a local movie, video game and historical prop builder, has already produced over 40 face shields following the open-source face model Prusa, a 3D-printing company from Czech Republic, shared on their site.
Meanwhile, boat dealership Quay.je has purchased over 1,000 face shields from an Irish company “to help protect Jersey’s frontline staff against COVID 19 after a plea from local medical staff”.
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