Good morning …

Just one more knot and then more coffee

Tusenfoting …

Drawn threads edges make the silk scrap look like a centipede

This is poison

I am amazed

I found this small scrap of unravelled silk fabric in the trash yesterday. The silk has been unmildly washed but I can still pull out some of the bright red threads and knot tufts for a fly fringe. This knotting thing is a bit like poison it kills time. I just have to make one more string of knots…

Svenskt konstsilke

Fibre study
Silk and vintage Swedish Rayon
on a pale pink vintage cotton gauze ribbon

I like to search internet for information on textile techniques. Today I have been exploring  how to make fly fringe. I found moonchild01 neat tutorials on how to make fly fringe  on youtube. I just have to try this out. So today I have been testing knotting different types of fibres into tufts. Tomorrow I will test knotting a fly fringe.

 

 

Testing the prototype

The hybrid pest doctor pattern turned out well.

A soft quick knit string and hand sewn eyelets makes the mask more comfortable when wearing it for hours.  The two layer construction give a snug fit on the face when the strings are pulled tight. The inner layer support a nose-mouth cone with a slit for inserting a filter, the inner layer also ad comfort as it layer absorb moisture from skin and breathing and closes tight on the face when the drawstrings are pulled in place on the head. The outer layer of mask cover the filter pocket. If one wishes you can sew on an additional denser filter with tacking stitch on the outside without pushing the needle into the inner layer. This mask  is sewn from hemp and linen fabric.

I have test walked this mask for couple of days and find that with an additional outer filter made from a micro-filter vacuum cleaner bag. So far I have found it is possible for me to walk outdoors even when the wind has blown up dust and there are only a little pollen in the air. The real test comes when the pollen season starts for real. I have not yet tried to boil the mask on the Stowe for cleaning and reusing.

Inner filter are made from a coffee filter can be exchanged every and outer filter made from vacuum cleaner bag can be cut of and thrown away after some days of use.

Please keep in mind that DIY masks are not proper protection masks.

The prototyping …

… continues.
This is a hybrid pest doctor pattern shortened on top and improved for a snug fit on face.

I want to sew a functional mask that meet these criteria:

1. Good snug fit on the face.
2. Dense fabric without getting over heated and the feeling suffocated when using it.
3. Washable = cooking on Stowe
4. Material choice for mask based on ability to absorb moisture from face without loss of filter function.
5. Comfortable on face = leaving no pressure marks on face from seams or drawstring when wearing the mask for hours.

Lets see if I can make this work.

 

 

Tip of the day

How do I sew this?

Before starting to sew my own mask that covers nose and mouth I felt a need for more information on fabrics and filter material.  I have been searching the Internet for information on how to sew cloth masks and found thousands of tips and free sewing patterns and youtube films on how to sew this and that shape of mask. From the CDC I found this information on the of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19

 

Topstitching

The not so Wroooom
sewing

Tube head

The face protection mask adventure continues
above a  tube face construction based on sewing a hole

 

Detta bildspel kräver JavaScript.

 

Hmm, well

This will be a no go pattern for a face protection mask.
The mere thought of wearing the finished mask
makes me squeal with laughter and think of
BATMAN