Written by Deborah
The Austin Sew Sisters is a group of Christian women from various churches in Austin who enjoy quilting and fellowship through retreats, monthly sew days, service projects and ‘sew-alongs.’ It is not a ministry of Grace; although, many of its members attend there.
I became aware of the need for face masks by healthcare providers, nursing homes and practitioners due to the new coronavirus. Jean, one of the other Sew Sisters, and I were in the process of choosing a pattern when Andy stepped forward and said his company, Alen Air Purifiers, could supply us with N95 filtering material. They chose a pattern with a pocket for the filter and off they went.
An email was sent out with the pattern directions and Jean’s teaching video: youtu.be/HDSmyWX4PFs. The Sew Sisters responded. Women began digging through their fabric stashes and donated fabric. Women began cutting out components, collecting elastic and ties, and finding ways to construct nosepieces in the masks. Women sewed…and sewed…and sewed some more. Pretty soon friends of Sew Sisters were helping—cutting out patterns and sewing. Soon neighbors of Sew Sisters and neighbors of friends of Sew Sisters were helping. Joel, my husband, stepped in and made his Pak Mail location the drop-off spot for completed masks and the pick-up place for precut fabric, elastic and pipe cleaners.
Masks have been delivered to nursing homes, hospitals, dentist offices, eye doctor offices, hospice facilities, pharmacists and many other individuals. And they are still being sewn and delivered. At this time, they have made close to 400 masks.
The women pray over the masks as they sew them—for the person who will be wearing that particular mask.
God bless the work of our hands.
NOTE: Some of these photos represent the women who are talked about in this story and are part of The Austin Sew Sisters. They were taken before we started social distancing and were called to stay home.