Chances are in the past week, you’ve heard of local seamstresses and tailors across the country sewing face masks out of extra cotton fabric and strips of elastic. The country is facing a shortage of surgical masks, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has deemed hand-sewn masks safe for the time being, in order to provide an additional layer of protection and avoid dwindling down even more supplies.
Now with Joann, a national chain for fabric and crafts, and the Make to Give campaign, (plus your trusty sewing machine), you can help out the cause too.
On the company’s website, you’ll find explainer videos and step-by-step guides on how to sew health care masks, as well as where to pick up the free cotton fabric. To date, the company has donated fabric for more than 1.5 million masks in stores, and estimates that customers have purchased enough cotton and elastic to make nearly 9 million more.
Hours are currently restricted at Joann locations across the region (with the Potomac Mills location temporarily closed with the exception of Saturdays and Sundays for curbside pickup), but customers can still visit the store to pick up needed materials, or order online for a streamlined process.
If you join the movement, not only will you contribute to protecting health care workers across Northern Virginia, you’ll also join a “sewing army” of others looking to help the front lines. For more information on Joann’s Make to Give Campaign, click here.
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