3月から、マスク全部で321個作りました。
前に作ったのをちょっと改善して、息を吸ったときに布が顔に吸い付いてこないようにしてみました。
あれだね、日本はもともと花粉症とか風邪ひいたとき用に白いマスクを使うのが普通だったからみんな普通に白いマスクしてるけど、アメリカはマスクをつける習慣がなかった上に白いマスクとか出回ってなかったから普通に柄物マスク多いね。好きなスポーツチームの柄とか、ジョーク混じりな柄とか、子供はみんなキャラマスクとか。
So I have made 321 masks since March. Can I deduct the expenses from my tax?!
I made some upgrade to my mask so I thought I would document it here.
What's the update? I added a boning to my mask!
I am still using the Olson Mask pattern as the base. I liked the fit, especially with the chin darts I added to the pattern, but the fit and the coverage is so good that it actually creates vacuum when I breath in.
So I cut a strip of boning , 6" long, and sewed a channel to the wrong side of the lining piece, and inserted the boning.
The boning gives the mask a structured dome shape and it stays that way.
As I said above, I'm using the Olson Mask pattern but I simplified it so that there is no filter pocket. Just 2 layers of quilting cotton. I also modified the lining piece so that it's short at the sides (less bulk when you double-fold to make the elastic channel), and also shaved 1/8" top and bottom so that when you turn the mask right side out the edge of the lining piece won't show on the front.
Edge stitched at the bottom seam and top stitched at the top seam, wide enough to create a channel for the nose wire.
The new nose wires I bought was pre-cut at 4". Personally, I prefer 5" but oh-well.
I also added the silicone piece to the elastic so it's easy to adjust the elastic length.
The nose wire and the boning really help keep the three-dimensional shape of the mask.
The addition of the boning was a big hit (I mean, among friends and family). It's easier to breath and talk while wearing the mask. I actually wear it while I work on the home renovation project too and it's totally comfortable. So far the boning is withstanding the laundry. I think I am going to keep a couple in my bug-out bag (well, more like a bug-out "bin" that I keep in my tornado shelter).
