Lovely Face Masks

I bought a face mask from an Etsy shop, custom made to fit my face, which is small and round.
It is made from blue camouflage fabric and has a filter pocket and nose wire.
It fits snugly and was a reasonable price.

Seasalt masks I bought were disappointingly made in China, as I suspect many masks from major companies are.

Oh no, would never buy anything from Boohoo.

I've been wearing home made fabric masks. They are reasonably comfortable and as we have to wear the damn things they might as well be attractive - that's my view anyway.

I’ve been making masks out of Liberty tana lawn and have made over £1k for charity. The pleated ones with a gap to add an additional filter with adjustable ear loops seems to be the most popular. I make them in 4 different sizes. I hate those disposable ones you now see littering the street, they are meant to be one size fits all, but of course they don’t fit everyone and you see people wandering around with them under their chins or noses. Tana lawn is a very fine weave and very light, feels like silk next to the skin, and comes in beautiful patterns. I actually like mine and whilst I don’t enjoy the need for wearing them, I am frequently complimented on them. I also make little bags out of offcuts so you can keep your mask in your bag and not mixed up with tissues etc and the mask and bag can then go in the washing machine.
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One of the layers of the three-layer masks I have bought is bonded to the outermost layer, so feels like a two-layer mask. I've acquired some iron-on interfacing material to make some more masks.

I made the duck shaped ones as recommended by a nursing friend of DD. However, in Wales it was recommended to wear 3 layer ones at first so I made two layers of cotton with a layer of dress lining fabric in between as suggested in the instructions.

Now the CMO in Wales isn't sure that they are necessary except on public transport.
He has said recently that the evidence for face masks is quite weak.

I've bought some washable cotton ones but we keep a pack of disposable masks in the car, along with some gloves just in case we get caught out.

It's unlikely to happen as we're still not going anywhere but I do like to be prepared!

Yes I think 3 layers would be too warm. Is it better to have some space to breathe inside it like the industrial masks you get at DIY shops?

Me neither.

I wondered if the pleated ones are more comfortable.
Three layers are one layer too many, surely?

Is it really possible to be comfortable wearing a mask for hours on end?
I have made several in various styles (u-tube videos galore) but they all become hot and uncomfortable after a while.
One is Liberty tana lawn left over from my dressmaking days.
Another has a very attractive coronavirus pattern.
I can never wait to rip them off as soon as possible.

Disposable ones have to be disposed of somehow.
Do they get collected as clinical waste? Are they a hazard? Will they end up in landfill like disposable nappies? Or hanging off bushes like bags of dog poo?

It's rather worrying what will happen to them all.

I think I'll make some more washable ones.

I bought a lovely cotton mask from a site on etsy called "off the cut"a crafts lady from Bath. Hand made pretty and comfortably easy to ware. Have now bought two more. British home made, not travelled across the world, came with wash before use advice.

Apologies.
It wasn’t Camilla. It was Queen Letizia of Spain.
Wearing a beautiful ball gown with a cheap, disposable blue mask available from any farmacia out here.

I was impressed.
✅

Out here in Spain a lot of people are using a notched bit of plastic behind the head where they attach the elastic at a comfortable junction.

£400???

Blimey!

BTW I've found that chewing gum helps keep your mouth feeling fresh behind a mask. I hate the sight of anyone chewing gum and I've never done it myself - other than in the car on a long journey but it's OK behind a mask.

Yes merlotgran - that Liberty one at £400 was a present. It’s nice though. I love the peacock feathers. She was photographed last week wearing the ‘surgical’ blue one, like me. I refuse to wear joke ones (lips on them) or prints like leopard skin to ‘match’ my outfit.

Are you sure she said that, Urmstongran?

Nope. I’m not interested in a ‘fashionista’ mask. Totally with the idea (like Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall ) that a surgical mask is quite appropriate in these uncertain times. Good enough to be honest . I don’t want to ‘prettify’ this rotten virus. I’ve been wearing pleated disposable blue ones here in Spain. Job done ✅

I've made some duck shaped ones but I may try making pleated ones as well.
Apparently in Wales they have to be three layered which can make them hot to wear.

BBbevan

I bought some from Etsy. DHs didn’t fit. It pulled his ears forward so he looked like Roland Rat. They did send a larger one but it was not much better. We have some from Seasalt now. They are lovely.

BBbevan
If they have elastic loops try taking them out and re-threading with one much longer piece that will go round the back of his head. One strand should go above his ears and one below iyswim.

I bought some from my village shop made by a local. Wired at the top to fit round the nose & really comfy. £3 each and a great choice of patterns. I’ve also got some I made out of old socks

Whilst the BooHoo Company founder Mahmud Kamani pays his workers a pittance, this is his house. £2.8 million in 2016.

The son of the BooHoo owner was found dead today, i read this morning