Courtesy photo 4-H member Mackenzie Blume works on a fabric mask. A sewing club called “Sewing Up A Storm Sewing Club” is making fabric masks for local people by using their sewing talent learned through 4-H. Fifth through ninth grades are involved. Members follow a pattern and watched a video tutorial created by JoAnn Fabrics before working on the masks.

ESCANABA — Some groups in the Upper Peninsula are helping others by making fabric masks to help stop the spread of COVID-19. There are a plethora of do-it-yourself videos on the internet instructing ways to create a mask, some using a sewing machine and other videos for those who are not familiar with a sewing machine.

Pasqua Warstler is one of those people who is unfamiliar with a sewing machine.

“I am not comfortable using a sewing machine,” said Warstler. “But I knew I had to do something to help.”

Warstler has two daughters in the medical field and, as a mother, feels they are both on the front line.

“I listened to the news and how to flatten the curve, and it was clear we needed more masks,” Warstler said.

In Beth Ann Royer, Warstler found the yin to her yang, Royer brings material to Warstler’s home and Warstler cuts patterns for the masks and carries the cutouts back to Royer, who then sews the patterns together to make a fabric mask.

“I told Beth Ann I would do all the cutting if she did all the sewing,” said Warstler.

After Royer sews the pieces of fabric together and adds elastic, Warstler distributes the masks to people. At first neighbors and friends were unsure about receiving a mask from Warstler.

“People are still going to the stores and now they are asking me about the masks,” she said. “We never know if we are carriers, we can wear the mask to protect others, prevent ourselves from giving it.”

Warstler drops the masks off in mailboxes and is glad she found a way to help.

“I think of my daughters each time I cut a pattern out from a piece of material,” said Warstler.

Both Warstler’s daughters work in North Carolina. Her youngest daughter works at a clinic as an occupational therapy assistant and was told not to wear masks because it was unsettling to patients.

“Last week, finally, they said she could wear a mask. I sent a bunch,” said Warstler.

Friends of Warstler, Larry and Mary Penet, are also creating masks, and since improved on their nose guard design twice.

4-H members who signed up for the Sewing Up A Storm Sewing Club through Michigan State University (MSU), were looking forward to using old prom dresses to remake dresses during spring break. Before that could happen. restrictions came due to the coronavirus.

MSU Extension 4-H Educator Dave Radloff said the students decided to make masks instead.

“This class includes students from three different classes, 11 kids from fifth to ninth grades,” said Radloff. “We initially scheduled reconstructing prom dresses during spring break. That got put on hold real quick.”

MSU Extension offices had the supplies to make masks and the kids started right away.

“Luckily I’m a hoarder. We had quite a stash at the office, and we were proactive when this all hit. We put together kits and dispersed them to the kids right before spring break. I bought interfacing, a harder fabric, and elastic,” Radloff said.

The sewing club is using a pattern from OSF HealthCare and Medical Group and a video tutorial created by JoAnn Fabrics that is a little more advanced using pipe cleaners and elastic, according to Radloff.

“There’s another group on Facebook making masks for Delta County,” Radloff said. “They are distributing their masks by dropping them off at Elmer’s County Market (Escanaba) or Pat’s IGA (Gladstone) for Jill Spencer to pick up.”

Radloff said the 4-H members of Sewing Up A Storm Sewing Club will either drop off the masks they make in front of the OSF St. Francis walk-in clinic, or one of the drop sites (Elmer’s or Pat’s). Before the masks are used they go to Nu Way cleaners to be sterilized.

“I think it’s great for the kids to use skills they learned in 4-H and use them in real-life circumstances. That’s what 4-H is all about,” said Radloff.

For more information about “Masks in Delta County”, connect on Facebook.