KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The CDC is advising all Americans to wear a mask or some type of cloth face-covering in public such as trips to the grocery store and pharmacy.
If you don't have a sewing machine or small sewing travel kit, you might think you are out of luck. But don't worry!
Here's a quick and easy tutorial on making one at home.
SUPPLIES:
Cloth: a bandanna, piece of an old t-shirt (cut 22x22), thinner hand towel
Shoelaces: two clean extra shoelaces, if you don't have any unused ones take them from a pair of shoes you aren't wearing and wash them first.
MAKING THE MASK:
1. Lay out your piece of cloth
2. Fold the top towards the middle, splitting the cloth into thirds
3. Fold the bottom towards the middle to meet the top
4. Repeat this step again, folding from top and bottom to meet in the middle
5. Take shoelaces and place them under the cloth splitting it into thirds
6. Cross the shoelaces over, but don't make it tight, this is creating the loop for your ears
7. Here's the tricky part. Fold one side to the middle, and then the other, the second side you fold needs to be tucked inside the other.
8. Smooth the mask out
9. Now it's time to put the mask on. Take the loops you've created and put them on your ears and the cloth up to your nose and mouth
10. Take the shoelaces and pull them tight to cinch and adjust the cloth around your face
Finished!
Make sure to wash your new mask after each use. Remember, this is not an excuse to stop practicing social distancing.
There are some materials that protect better than others. You can hold up your material and do the 'light test.' If you see straight through and see fibres of the cloth, it is not as protective as a cloth that lets in less light.
Most of all, remember to stay safe and healthy.