Science Teacher Making Masks for the Masses

As a woman of science, teacher Elizabeth Druger is well aware of the personal protective equipment (PPE) shortage globally affecting those working on the front lines. As a wife whose partner is immunosuppressed and the mother of a child with asthma, she nonetheless wanted facial masks for her family during these uncertain times.

Using her skills as a fabric artist, Druger started sewing face masks for her family and is now turning her focus to others who may be potentially at high risk. “Homemade masks allow more PPE to go to the front lines, rather than being diverted to populations that are not in direct contact with the virus on a daily basis,” offered Druger.  

Druger initially came up with the idea of making her own masks from watching a video about an Italian garment manufacturer who recently retooled his business to produce masks for his community. By serendipity, many of the quilting groups and friends she follows on Facebook started sharing patterns for making face masks and organizations that were accepting masks, further encouraging her efforts.

One of Druger’s friends from the Chicago Modern Quilt Guild began offering online tutorials and has collected more than 300 handmade masks to date. Another friend of Druger’s who is a former police officer is hard at work making them for officers working directly with at-risk populations in the city.  

Druger plans to work with her daughters—5th grader Teagan and 8th grader Gabby—during the April Recess to make as many masks as they can. Druger said, “We have been making them in the evenings for family and friends. Gabby and Teagan have been cutting the patterns and pressing, while I have been stitching them together. It is quite a process, and we are enjoying it together.”

Druger and her family will provide the first batch of masks to workers at their local grocery store as well as people working at the Night Ministry. 

If you are interested in learning more about making your own face masks, contact Druger at edruger@fwparker.org