I wasn’t gonna go there.

There are so many sensationalist tutorial videos on YouTube right now, showing you how to make cloth face masks, that when I started seeing this trend on social media, I said to my husband, “I’m not going to jump on that bandwagon.”

First of all, I don’t like when a crafter’s whole motivation is about going viral or making money. I am not going to be that crafter. I refuse to be that kind of YouTuber.

Secondly, aside from being an online craft enthusiast, I am also a school librarian. I represent not just the internet community but my local community, which includes young, impressionable children. I don’t like to veer off from my usual tutorial in an attempt to gain followers from some other group. It just seems unprofessional to me.

Third, and most importantly, I have ZERO training, when it comes to sewing protective surgical-style masks. I’m certainly not an authority on medical-grade surgical masks in any way, shape, or form. So please bear that in mind.

Therefore, you’re probably wondering why I have decided to create and share a free pattern for sewing cloth face masks in spite of these things.

Well, on Friday morning I woke up and said, “I think I’ll sew some cloth face masks for my family.” (This was before the evening news, when it was announced that the CDC recommended them — I just wanted to show my family some good ol’ fashioned love.) I spent the day sewing masks for my brother, his teenage children, my sister, her toddler, her adult daughter, and her husband.

I was about to start sewing a cloth face mask for my mother-in-law and father-in-law, when the news came on with the announcement that all Americans should start wearing cloth face masks when they go out of the house.

And then my husband said, “So let me see if I’ve got this straight… You’re making cloth face masks for your brother’s family…?”

“Yep,” I said.

“And you’re making cloth face masks for your sister’s family?”

“Yep.”

“And you designed your own pattern?”

“Yep.”

“But you’re not going to share the pattern with your followers?”

“Nope.”

“Well that’s just stupid.”

Yes, I have to admit it… he did have a good point.

So I’m going to give you a free pattern and tutorial videos this week, for making the following:

• A  cloth face mask to fit a toddler or preschooler (like my niece)
• A cloth face mask to fit a 14″ to 17″ doll (like my niece’s Consuelo doll, who will be getting a mask too)
• A cloth face mask to fit an adult (like the ones I’m sending to my brother and sisters and their family members)

Because, as my husband pointed out, I’ve already designed the pattern, and I’ve been busily sewing them for each and every member of my family. So why not share?

Just please, please, PLEASE be aware that I’m not an expert in designing surgical-grade cloth face masks! These are just plain and simple cloth face masks that may or may not help prevent the spread of COVID-19. I can’t make any promises. But I can share what I’ve created.

And if any of you are wondering how you might help out from home during the coronavirus outbreak, consider sewing protective re-usable cloth face masks for the following:

• your own family
• your local food bank volunteers
• volunteers at Meals on Wheels
• school lunch staff (who are still serving kids meals, even though schools are closed)

God bless those who are on the front lines. I wish I could do more for them. But this week, I’ll share what I can.