Dorset’s mask makers
• Mask making volunteers Margie Milne, Lynice Thirkell, Gwen Barber and Rotary board member Jan Denison.
By Daisy Baker
October 14, 2020
Crafty souls from all corners of the community have come out of the woodwork to help Rotary Club make washable COVID masks for the region as part of the Nourishing Communities initiative.
Rotary board member Jan Denison said they have set an ambitious target but hope they will achieve it through a series of local mask making workshops.
“It’s probably pie in the sky but our target is 14,000 masks because we’ve got 7,000 population in the area and you need two masks per person,” she said.
Volunteers are making masks in large, medium, small and child size.
Around 12 people attended a workshop in Ringarooma last week where they cut fabric to size.
On Tuesday more than 15 volunteers gathered at the Bridport Community Hall where they worked on a production line cutting fabric, stitching, adding elastic and filters.
There will be another workshop next week in Scottsdale at the Dorset Community House.
“I’ve looked for my fellow textile connections and they’ve been absolutely brilliant,” Ms Denison said.
“I’ve got quite a few people onboard. There are also a few people out in the community who are sewers but don’t want to come to the workshops so they’re making masks at home.”
Ms Denison said Blueline had generously donated a pack of sheets that can be used for mask filters, and she has been trawling second-hand shops for cotton and polycottons for the projects.
Rotary will host a surplus craft market at the Ringarooma Hall next month to coincide with the show.
“I was kindly given some high quality merino wool for that market and that’s already been sold so we have already sold $170 worth of supplies,” she said.
“So we’re using that money to pay for [mask materials] and then we will sell the masks to recover our money.”
Funds raised at the market will be donated to Kangaroo Island.
The surplus craft market is a new initiative by Rotary which they hope to make an annual event if successful so local crafters can declutter their supplies and others can stock up on materials for Christmas projects.
The washable masks will be available to purchase throughout the Dorset community when complete, for a small charge that covers the cost of materials.