Greetings! As someone who is more comfortable roaming the aisles of Home Depot than Macy's, I was thrilled to find something I could actually DO at a time when we're supposed to stay at home and be quiet. So last weekend, I dragged out my sewing machine and started making masks for our health care professionals. Then I had an epiphany....

Announcing the TTN 2020 Challenge

You've all read about the personal protective equipment that our health care workers desperately need. You may also have read about the groups and individuals out there who are stepping up to make masks. These homemade masks are not be suitable for the doctors and nurses on the front line of the COVID-19 virus, but they can help.

In honor of TTN's 20th Anniversary, let's get together and make at least 2,020 masks to support our health care professionals.

Here's how to get started: Get a group in your chapter together (virtually of course). Share responsibility for research so you are most effective. Find local facilities who need and will accept home-made masks. Check out Facebook for other groups in your area (see below). Some of these have good information on style options, where to get supplies as well as where to donate. Make sure you have the type of fabric that is recommended. A good option I've seen is "tight weave cotton" and if you can get blue hospital gown material, that also works especially as the inside liner. Making strip ties is labor intensive so I bought double fold bias tape and just stitched it closed. Much faster.

Dust off that sewing machine!

Here are two videos that demonstrate the most common patterns I've seen in my research. 6"x 9" mask with pleats and elastic. Click here for video Fu Facemask that fits over nose and uses strip ties. Click here for video

Most of my masks will have snowmen or Christmas trees on them since that's the fabric I happened to have on hand. Hope they make someone smile!

We've found Facebook pages in several of our chapter cities that have more information on what is useful locally. We have not vetted these pages so please check them out to verify their information. Atlanta - American Sewing Center ( Link) Long Island - Long Island Seamstress ( Link) Minneapolis/St. Paul - American Sewing Guild MSP Chapter ( Link); A Stitch in Time ( Link) New York - New York Sewing Center ( Link) Northern New Jersey - New Jersey Sewing Medical Face Masks ( Link) Philadelphia - Sew Face Masks Philadelphia ( Link) South Florida - South Florida Masks for Health Care Providers ( Link) Washington DC - Washington DC Mask Sewing ( Link) If you're not on Facebook, just Google "Face Masks" in your area. I'm sure you will find newspaper articles and other information on how this is being coordinated where you live.

Share your work with us and the world! #TTN2020Cares

All of our chapters have Facebook pages so make sure you are posting pictures and stories of your efforts. If you're on Twitter, share your successes, tag @TTN_50Plus and use the hashtag #TTN2020Cares. Keep us posted on your progress. Tell us how many masks you've made and send your pics to info@thetransitionnetwork.org so we can post them on our website.

We may not be building ships like Rosie but we can still show our leadership and continued engagement in the world around us. Together let's make a difference.

A bonus for you!

‌ This is the best handwashing technique tutorial I've seen. They used black paint to show how much we miss when we think we've done a good job washing. Link to Video

‌ And this one just because it's fun! Link to Video Stay well, Ladies! Susan

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