Craft time

"smobgirl" (smobgirl) 04/04/2020 at 21:39 • Filed to: None

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I sewed some fancy plague masks.

Also I thought it would surprise none of you to know that my sewing machine is essentially a Toyota Tercel.

Future Heap Owner > smobgirl 04/04/2020 at 21:48

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I really like the design of that sewing machine. It seems vaguely Soviet 

VincentMalamute-Kim > smobgirl 04/04/2020 at 21:51

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Looks like lingerie? (mind is in the gutter)

How did you end up with that sewing machine? I just bought a new Singer at Walmart. Because it had Heavy Duty in the model name. I kept an eye on Craiglist for an old one with metal gears, etc but those don’t pop up too often.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > smobgirl 04/04/2020 at 21:55

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reminds me more of a Nash

smobgirl > VincentMalamute-Kim 04/04/2020 at 21:56

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Haha. I was going more for  Spanish flu-era fashion but I guess that’s fine too. Mostly the trim is to hide the careless stitching. 

This sewing machine was actually my grandmother’s newest. It weighs 8 million pounds and it’s downright indestructible. I occasionally see similar era ones at the thrift stores around here so maybe that’s an option, but you might have to fight off some hipsters.

smobgirl > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 04/04/2020 at 21:58

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That’s fair. My mom swears it’s a newer machine than it looks (early 80s) . I haven’t been able to verify.

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > smobgirl 04/04/2020 at 22:00

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I am on the lookout for the original “plague mask” but cant seem to find a good one

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > smobgirl 04/04/2020 at 22:01

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My mom actually has a Toyota sewing machine. And this is my plague mask:

smobgirl > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 04/04/2020 at 22:03

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That works too! I just had too much time to kill since I have zero work for the foreseeable future.

In hindsight, I wish I’d just baked cookies instead.

VincentMalamute-Kim > smobgirl 04/04/2020 at 22:08

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ah... that’s how you hide stitching! I’m an absolute beginner at this .

yeah, I ended up settling for a new machine after spending a while looking for one of those “don’t make ‘em like they used to” machines.

gettingoldercarguy > smobgirl 04/04/2020 at 22:16

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My wife is sewing us a couple. Asked me what color I wanted and I said pink.

Also, I know how to sew.  Leather that is.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > smobgirl 04/04/2020 at 22:17

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As we’re still running production in Mexico, we’re still required to support them 

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > smobgirl 04/04/2020 at 22:19

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(quietly adds cookie dough to shopping list)

Spaceball-Two > smobgirl 04/04/2020 at 22:23

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We’re on round two of making masks. Found out today if you stitch a layer of polypropylene (reusable grocery or wine bags) between layers you are creating a better filter 

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > smobgirl 04/04/2020 at 22:23

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We just made these out of some Adventure Time fabric we had and one of my old T shirts.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > smobgirl 04/04/2020 at 22:35

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After your reply to me earlier, I’m surprised you sewed such girly masks.

I don’t know what you’d call my machine, Chevy Impala maybe.

smobgirl > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 04/04/2020 at 22:42

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I have flashes of girly, but your analysis is generally right. Once I found the craft box I sort of lost control. 

smobgirl > Spaceball-Two 04/04/2020 at 22:44

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That’s good to know. I read denser weave was good so the inner layer i s a really high quality pillow case (Shelly destroyed the sheets eons ago). I’ll improve the next ones!

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > smobgirl 04/04/2020 at 23:20

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This is about the 12th one I’ve made. Modeled after the paper masks, two layers, and the bottom edge is open so you can slide in a third element, like a paper mask or a piece of HEPA vacuum cleaner bag if you want. I am cutting up shirts that I no longer wear. I can get 16 panels out of one shirt, so 8 masks per shirt. Each one takes a good  20 minutes to fabricate. But it’s a great chance to work on precision. I do woodworking also and this for me is pretty much like woodworking with fabric. I think the wearing of the masks is as much about social cues as anything, but I think it’s a good practice. If nothing else, I can hopefully keep my own cooties to myself.

Jayvincent > smobgirl 04/04/2020 at 23:26

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I’m positive all gold-card member Oppos have some blue shop towels for when the oil really hits the turbo-fan, now’s the time to sacrifice for the common good! cut them up and sew them into cotton masks! (My wife is sewing masks and I just told her about the shop towel hack. She said “cool, my mask pattern has a filter pocket” so no more shop towels for me). Stay safe out there

TheRealBicycleBuck > smobgirl 04/04/2020 at 23:58

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My wife bought the supplies yesterday and they were delivered today. She found a pattern that includes a slot for an insertable element and they recommended cutting down a household allergen filter to fit. I offered to get my mom’s sewing machine out of storage, but she didn’t accept the offer.

Dr_Watson > smobgirl 04/05/2020 at 00:04

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When should we start wearing these?

Dr_Watson > Spaceball-Two 04/05/2020 at 00:05

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I read a study that tested various materials. Vacuum cleaner bags are 99% as good as a surgical mask.

just-a-scratch > smobgirl 04/05/2020 at 12:21

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That sewing machine doesn’t remind me of a Tercel. It’s more of a well used machine tool. Lots of dials and levers, a few oil stains, capable of making wonderful things in the right hands.

smobgirl > TheRealBicycleBuck 04/05/2020 at 12:47

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Back when useful items were also elegant. I love those.

smobgirl > just-a-scratch 04/05/2020 at 12:50

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Fair! I was thinking more along the lines of: does exactly what it’s told to, despite the complete incompetence and lack of maintenance from the owner.

(Luckily  I found a PDF of the manual online, now I just need to track down some oil and follow the directions. Poor thing has been at least 20 years without a tune up.)