Intermedia

Atalaya Murphy, 05-05-2020, Materials: Fabric (Old T-shirt), Cotton headband, thread and needle. Optional : Parchment paper, Iron, and Paper.

This face mask is created to be accessible to all, and to make a statement. The materials were all found lying around the house, and hand made, only requiring a needle and thread. An old t-shirt was cut, folded to create a filter, and sewn. It was a very simple stitch that followed pulled together the folded layers, and some stitches to attach and adjust the headband.Another problem tackled with this design is the discomfort many have experienced with straps near the ears. An old head band was cut and sized to my head, so I could rest the mask on the bridge of my nose and the strap fell under my ears. This depleted any possibility of discomfort around the ear. Also, this allows for you to wear the mask around your neck while you are not wearing it. The letters and words written on the mask was a repeated trial and error. For my mask I chose a black color, which limited what I could use to write the words on the mask. There is one method that involved printing the letters out from a word document, and using parchment paper to iron the letters (printed from a word doc) on to the front of the mask. However, if these items are not available, a different color fabric would allow you to just use a sharpie, or other fabric pen.

While it may not be the most stylish mask one could wear, it serves a great purpose. As the virus has continued to spread, there has been a number of incidents that have spread misinformation and havoc. Most of these messages coming from the President of the United States as well, the most recent, a suggestion of ingesting disinfectant into the body. The only information that should be spread around, is the information from the CDC, most qualified to handle these situations. The design of this mask inspires activism. The information that is being spread to the United States should be accurate and helpful to all. It is important to display sources that would only give correct information. No one should be left behind, unable to have adequate resources to create the mask- hence the DIY aspect. Although our mouths might be covered, it does not mean we must remain silent.