Learning to sew for a good cause: Sacramento-area students making masks for hospitals
When Rancho Cordova math teacher Estelle Gray began teaching an after-school sewing club on a whim two years ago, she never imagined her students would be sewing masks for healthcare providers in the middle of a pandemic and worldwide mask shortage.
But with schools closed for what is likely to be the remainder of the school year to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the W.E. Mitchell Middle School teacher knew her students would be bored at home while complying with stay-at-home orders.
On Wednesday 20 students showed up early in the morning to pick up a sewing machine from campus and begin putting their new skills to the test: sewing dozens of masks, with hopes to deliver them to various Sacramento hospitals, including Kaiser Permanente.
The students are making two types of masks: one that is able to appropriately cover an N95 mask and one that is able to cover the pleated earloop masks.
These covers are intended to further protect healthcare providers and allow them to keep their hospital-grade masks clean in case they need to sterilize and reuse them. Hospitals can also sterilize the fabric mask covers if they choose to.
Some local hospitals, including UC Davis Medical Center, say they are currently not in need of homemade masks, but could possibly accept them in the future. The UC Davis Health website includes instructions on how to make masks.
“We know that a lot of our students are going completely stir crazy having to stay in the house and not be able to be with their friends,” said Mitchell history teacher Karen York, who also helps run the class. “We are hoping that this is not only a service learning project for them, but it also keeps their mind focused on something other than all the stress that comes with this weird time we are in.”
Students picked up fabric, patterns, paperclips, pipe cleaners and one of the many sewing machines donated to the program.
The masks will be form fitting to properly cover the hospital-grade masks healthcare providers are wearing.
Alzahara Ibrahim started on her first mask just hours after picking up a sewing machine. The 11-year-old joined the sewing club earlier this year after her mother encouraged her to learn how to sew. Since then, she’s made bibs for special education students at her school and pillow cases.
“My mom said this is my chance to learn, because she never learned to sew,” Ibrahim said. “And now I am doing something that could help.”
Megan Sandners, 12, has been in the sewing club for two years and has already made skirts, pillow cases, dog leashes and blankets. She hopes to make at least two masks before next week. Her twin sister, Mikayla Sandners, who picked up camouflage and American flag fabrics, said she thinks she can make more.
“The nurses are taking their time in helping other people and I just want to help them all be safe.” Megan Sandners said.
Gray said she could have made the pattern without fractions, but as a math teacher she was very purposeful in ensuring that her students had to add fractions.
“They might struggle in my class in algebra, but it’s a subtle way to teach math,” she said.
Gray said she felt motivated to teach sewing to students who may otherwise never learn how. It could also save them money rather than paying others for the service.
“When I was in seventh grade, I learned to sew,” she said. “I’m not a great sewer, but I can hem my pants and sew my buttons. I am so lucky to have that skill. Most of these girls, because of the socio-economic situation they are in, are now going to have this skill.”
Gray said some of the girls have helped classmates fix ripped pants. Now they are helping the first responders in the region.
“More than anything, I want the girls to have something to do,” Gray said. “Even if it’s just 50. That’s a drop in the bucket, but that would be cool.”
This story was originally published April 2, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Learning to sew for a good cause: Sacramento-area students making masks for hospitals."