I can second these masks and this vendor specifically. I have been wearing Powecom KN95s from BFM since I started teaching in person months ago, and they have treated me well -- I have made it...
I can second these masks and this vendor specifically.
I have been wearing Powecom KN95s from BFM since I started teaching in person months ago, and they have treated me well -- I have made it through multiple contacts with confirmed and suspected cases without getting COVID myself. I can't attribute that entirely to the mask, as we use other mitigation strategies too, but I feel like the mask is probably a big part of the protection.
For anyone considering ordering some, I've found that the headband style is much more comfortable for long-term wear than the earloop ones, and I feel like the seal is better. They are a little more annoying to get on and off, especially for something like a quick sip of water though.
I bought some of their KN95s to wear for my vaccination appointment, and they seem good! They did hurt my nose a bit, though, so folks who sometimes have issues with wire placement should keep...
I bought some of their KN95s to wear for my vaccination appointment, and they seem good! They did hurt my nose a bit, though, so folks who sometimes have issues with wire placement should keep that in mind.
It was also so easy to breathe through compared to cloth masks that I got a bit anxious, but that's just me. :D
Does anyone know where to get a good pattern for making your own face masks? I have a pattern for the Olson mask and a regular pleated mask. After reading this article I’ll be adding a Pellon...
Does anyone know where to get a good pattern for making your own face masks? I have a pattern for the Olson mask and a regular pleated mask. After reading this article I’ll be adding a Pellon filter layer to the next ones I make.
I’d like to make a 3D mask, but the patterns I’ve found don’t allow for enough jaw movement to be able to talk comfortably.
Hi again! I read through the directions for the mask, and peeped at the video at the part where she explains how to fit the mask. Two things I'm excited to have learned: 1) stitching the lining...
Hi again! I read through the directions for the mask, and peeped at the video at the part where she explains how to fit the mask. Two things I'm excited to have learned: 1) stitching the lining with a slightly wider seam allowance than the outer layer just makes sense for nesting! and 2) both the deeper angle over the checks and having the nose-wire casing slightly inset from the top edge look promising! I'm off to go make one and see how it feels!
I will try this out! Thank you for sharing! Where do you get your fabric? Edit: I should add, although I have only skimmed the pictures, the end result looks quite similar to the Olson masks I’ve...
I will try this out! Thank you for sharing! Where do you get your fabric?
Edit: I should add, although I have only skimmed the pictures, the end result looks quite similar to the Olson masks I’ve been making. The problem I’ve had with those, however, is, even with a nose wire, getting them snug enough across the nose and cheeks to keep air from blowing out and fogging my glasses. This one looks different across the top though, so I look forward to trying it out and on!
Ha ha, I feel so gendered in my revelations here: I have pipe cleaners, you have fencing wire; (in a separate topic) I’m making a skirt, another member is rebuilding their forge and the structure...
Ha ha, I feel so gendered in my revelations here: I have pipe cleaners, you have fencing wire; (in a separate topic) I’m making a skirt, another member is rebuilding their forge and the structure that houses it 🤣 To each their own!
Thanks again for sharing!
in the beginning of the pandemic I tried to make my own masks and cut apart comfortable commercial ones at the seams to use as patterns. I think it would have worked but I never found a comfy...
in the beginning of the pandemic I tried to make my own masks and cut apart comfortable commercial ones at the seams to use as patterns. I think it would have worked but I never found a comfy fabric. (disclaimer I am horrible with a needle)
I’ve come across sewing tutorials for other things that suggest this approach—take something that fits you well, fold in half, trace, recreate—but it always seemed insufficiently precise for my...
I’ve come across sewing tutorials for other things that suggest this approach—take something that fits you well, fold in half, trace, recreate—but it always seemed insufficiently precise for my liking.
For daily situations when I am not too worried about exposure, I wear an FFP2 mask underneath a secure cloth mask, which uses a velcro closure around the back of my head and has a metal nose clip....
For daily situations when I am not too worried about exposure, I wear an FFP2 mask underneath a secure cloth mask, which uses a velcro closure around the back of my head and has a metal nose clip. While the US sources the article links to have concerns about disposable respirator mask reuse, the concrete studies and concerns they describe seem almost entirely related to degradation of fit quality. With the much heavier straps of the cloth mask securing the respirator underneath, however, this doesn't seem to be nearly as problematic. I am also not sure why a cloth mask, which I have never seen fit particularly well, would be preferable to a rotation of respirators with less-than-perfect fit, unless the concern is that a respirator could give a false sense of security.
For situations where I am more concerned, I wear a half-mask respirator with FFP2 or P100 filters; in addition to being more secure, these are actually more comfortable than other masks, and for one of the two that I have, which has a speaking diaphragm, actually presents much less of an impediment to speech. Unfortunately, I've found that the appearance of these masks actually poses a significant problem, in that they appear to make others uncomfortable, and often cause unwanted hostility.
To that end, we've updated our guide with new insights on double-masking, the best options for double-masking effectively, links to legitimate and regularly-priced N95 masks, and some of the latest information on overall mask studies.
I can second these masks and this vendor specifically.
I have been wearing Powecom KN95s from BFM since I started teaching in person months ago, and they have treated me well -- I have made it through multiple contacts with confirmed and suspected cases without getting COVID myself. I can't attribute that entirely to the mask, as we use other mitigation strategies too, but I feel like the mask is probably a big part of the protection.
For anyone considering ordering some, I've found that the headband style is much more comfortable for long-term wear than the earloop ones, and I feel like the seal is better. They are a little more annoying to get on and off, especially for something like a quick sip of water though.
I bought some of their KN95s to wear for my vaccination appointment, and they seem good! They did hurt my nose a bit, though, so folks who sometimes have issues with wire placement should keep that in mind.
It was also so easy to breathe through compared to cloth masks that I got a bit anxious, but that's just me. :D
Does anyone know where to get a good pattern for making your own face masks? I have a pattern for the Olson mask and a regular pleated mask. After reading this article I’ll be adding a Pellon filter layer to the next ones I make.
I’d like to make a 3D mask, but the patterns I’ve found don’t allow for enough jaw movement to be able to talk comfortably.
Hi again! I read through the directions for the mask, and peeped at the video at the part where she explains how to fit the mask. Two things I'm excited to have learned: 1) stitching the lining with a slightly wider seam allowance than the outer layer just makes sense for nesting! and 2) both the deeper angle over the checks and having the nose-wire casing slightly inset from the top edge look promising! I'm off to go make one and see how it feels!
I will try this out! Thank you for sharing! Where do you get your fabric?
Edit: I should add, although I have only skimmed the pictures, the end result looks quite similar to the Olson masks I’ve been making. The problem I’ve had with those, however, is, even with a nose wire, getting them snug enough across the nose and cheeks to keep air from blowing out and fogging my glasses. This one looks different across the top though, so I look forward to trying it out and on!
I’ve been using pipe cleaners. What do you use?
Ha ha, I feel so gendered in my revelations here: I have pipe cleaners, you have fencing wire; (in a separate topic) I’m making a skirt, another member is rebuilding their forge and the structure that houses it 🤣 To each their own!
Thanks again for sharing!
in the beginning of the pandemic I tried to make my own masks and cut apart comfortable commercial ones at the seams to use as patterns. I think it would have worked but I never found a comfy fabric. (disclaimer I am horrible with a needle)
I’ve come across sewing tutorials for other things that suggest this approach—take something that fits you well, fold in half, trace, recreate—but it always seemed insufficiently precise for my liking.
For daily situations when I am not too worried about exposure, I wear an FFP2 mask underneath a secure cloth mask, which uses a velcro closure around the back of my head and has a metal nose clip. While the US sources the article links to have concerns about disposable respirator mask reuse, the concrete studies and concerns they describe seem almost entirely related to degradation of fit quality. With the much heavier straps of the cloth mask securing the respirator underneath, however, this doesn't seem to be nearly as problematic. I am also not sure why a cloth mask, which I have never seen fit particularly well, would be preferable to a rotation of respirators with less-than-perfect fit, unless the concern is that a respirator could give a false sense of security.
For situations where I am more concerned, I wear a half-mask respirator with FFP2 or P100 filters; in addition to being more secure, these are actually more comfortable than other masks, and for one of the two that I have, which has a speaking diaphragm, actually presents much less of an impediment to speech. Unfortunately, I've found that the appearance of these masks actually poses a significant problem, in that they appear to make others uncomfortable, and often cause unwanted hostility.