This will be the basis for the vacuum cleaner bag pattern, but THIS mask can be made now, with cotton (for maximum laundering potential) to use as a stand-alone community mask, or as an N95 mask cover to help extend the life of masks for medical personnel.
The vacuum bag pattern will not be sewn.
Sewing through a vacuum bag destroys its structural integrity by introducing around 200 .5mm to .7 mm holes into fabric that’s supposed to filter down to .01 microns. A millimeter is 1000 microns, so a hole .5 mm wide permits 50,000 .01 micron particles to march through abreast. Don’t do it!
Do not waste bags learning this, because the supply chain for vacuum bags is smaller than the supply chain for medical masks and construction masks.
This also applies to any medically recommended fabric, like surgical drapes. Don’t put holes in them unnecessarily. If your hospital system is asking for sewists to make masks from drapes, follow their directions precisely.
And if you notice something is wrong, like they’re asking you to poke holes into mask fabric, speak up! Just because a doctor is an expert at medicine doesn’t make them an expert in materials science! They’re tired, they’re overworked, so be their extra eyes and safety check. Continue reading “One Piece Mask Pattern and Tutorial” →