Make your own face mask with this farming fashion designer's step by step guide

Sarah Thompson should be forging ahead with her promising career as a fashion designer but for now she’s stepping up to help the NHS by making wash bags that nurses can use for the safe laundering at home of their uniforms.

“I made a few masks for friends and family using leftover fabrics from previous projects, which got me thinking how else could I help, using my sewing skills. I got in touch with some local nurses to see if there was anything they needed or could make for them,” she says.

“Drawstring bags were a common response, as many have been using pillow cases to transport their work uniforms home to put straight into the wash, preventing the spread of the disease, especially when they are going home to their families.”

She made her first 10 drawstring bags and took them to Whitby Hospital where they were distributed among staff. Last week she made 22 more and delivered them to a nurse working at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

Sarah, 23, grew up 12 miles from Sandsend in the North York Moors National Park, an area which has provided the canvas for her imagination. Her collection is made from repurposed garments collected from nearby farms close to her parents’ farm, Dimmingdale.

After graduating from Sheffield Hallam University last November with a BA Hons in Fashion Design, she was chosen to exhibit at Graduate Fashion Week, after which her designs have appeared on the front cover of a style magazine, been worn by singer Shingai and been seen on the red carpet. She was also approached by Fashion Crossover London and invited to join its Graduate Talent Programme before being asked to showcase her collection - which explores the relationship the British farming community has with its clothing - for Graduate Fashion Week Presents at London Fashion Week 2020, which took place In February.

Sarah was recently interning in London at fashion brand Self Portrait and admires brands Mother of Pearl (which has a new collection with John Lewis) and Gabriela Hearst..

Back at Dimmingdale, she continues sewing to make the bags. “I posted one up to Scotland to one of my oldest friends who is also working hard as a nurse in Edinburgh,” she says.

“This week I have 38 more cut and ready to sew, which I'm hoping will be ready by the end of the week. I hope more of these can go to James Cook, Whitby and also York where another friend is working as a nurse.

“I'm so happy to be able to help in some form to support our workers in the NHS. I’m hoping this can help keep families of our NHS workers safer too, and just want to thank them all for what they're doing.”

Sarah has also been making face masks for family and friends. Here, especially for the Yorkshire Post, she has created this step-by step-guide to making one at home.

Sarah Thompson’s Instagram: @t.o.m.o.d.e.s.i.g.n.s

HOW TO MAKE SARAH THOMPSON’S FACE MASK

You will need:

Fabric - main piece 20cm x 35cm and 2 side panels 15cm x 14cm. Use different colours or prints to add interest, if you like.

Elastic - 15cm x 1cm (cut from a wider width if you don;t have the exact size)

Scissors; ruler or tape measure; pencil; pins; iron

Method

Fold the main piece of fabric in half, right sides together (front side inside), and sew down the open seam.

Turn inside out to show the right (eg printed) side and press with iron.

Using a rule or tape measure, place three pins evenly down the raw edge 4cm apart.

To create the pleats which will allow your mask to fit comfortably, fold 0.5cm of the double fabric three times horizontally from pin to pin, and double it back on itself. Pin in place using the pins.

Once the pleats are in place, lightly iron to set them in place. Keep pins in place.

To make the ear straps, cut the elastic into two 7.5cm pieces and place each piece so each end is 2cm from the top and bottom of the mask and pin in place ready to stitch to secure.

Sew 0.5cm in from the raw edge to secure the please and the elastic straps in place.

Now turn to the side panels. Fold each vertically with the right sides together and press.

Using a ruler, measure in 1cm from the raw edge and draw a line.

Fold the two side fabric pieces vertically at the line and press to help when topstitching later.

Lay the side panels at each side of the back of the main mask, raw sides out and on top of the mask’s raw sides, leaving the excess evenly at the top and bottom of the main mask and pin at the edges horizontally where it will need to be stitched.

Stitch from the fold to the raw edge where you have placed your pins.

Trim excess fabric leaving approx 0.5cm cut diagonally up towards the right corner.

Turn out your fabric so the right side is showing - you should have a light crease from the turnover made earlier on one side.

Turn over the mask so you cannot see the elastic. Place the unfolded side of the side panel right side down on the mask.

Sew the side panels to the mask with 1cm seam allowance.

Turn over to the back of the mask with the elastic and sold over the side panels using the folds made earlier.

This should sit in line with where you stitched on the other side of the panel. Pin in place and stitch down to secure.

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