Jefferson Hills woman helps relieve mask shortage
By Eric Seiverling
eseiverling@yourmvi.com
With the coronavirus pandemic forcing medical professionals, first responders and essential-business employees to work long and stressful hours, residents and civilians are doing what they can to lend a helping hand.
Jefferson Hills resident and “sewist” Lina Vetter is turning scary quarantines and supply shortages into a beacon of hope.
A French teacher at Pleasant Hills Middle School, Vetter also operates LinaBags, a handbag business in which she designs and sews fabric handbags that she sells at arts and crafts shows throughout the year.
With the coronavirus outbreak shutting down the middle school and putting a halt to most public gatherings, including arts and crafts shows, Vetter found herself at home with a lot of time — and unused supplies — on her hands.
But after reading about stores and hospitals having a shortage of N95 respirator masks used to fight the coronavirus, Vetter looked at the unused fabric she had in her home and began sewing respiratory masks that she now donates to residents, doctors and nursing facilities.
“I have the perfect situation,” Vetter said. “All my shows are canceled and I have enough fabric to travel around the world twice.”
But Vetter’s masks aren’t just basic fabric pieces that go over a person’s nose and mouth.
To provide protection from airborne intruders, Vetter researched how to make her masks effective, which led to her sewing a pocket in the masks that allows everyday household goods to be inserted into the fabric and used as breathing filters.
Vetter said common items such as No. 2 and No. 4 coffee filters, wool felt and even vacuum cleaner bags can be used as filters.
“It was quite an education for me,” Vetter said of her research into the filters. “Will they offer you the same level of protection as an N95 mask? No. But, it will offer you some protection, which is better than nothing.”
Vetter’s do-it-yourself masks are gaining the attention of health professionals. Her masks have been used by doctors at St. Clair Hospital, Children’s Hospital and Jefferson Hills Manor nursing home.
And residents can’t get enough of them as well.
“I’ve had people want me to make 80 of them, but there’s no way I can make that many,” she said, noting that she made about 75 masks on Friday and Saturday. “People were texting me until 3 a.m. I had to shut the volume off of my phone because I couldn’t get any sleep.”
She’s also quick to point out that the coronavirus outbreak has brought out the best in people.
“I had one woman give me supplies that she bought at the store when she came to get her masks,” she said. “That just about brought me to tears. I had a man give me two rolls of toilet paper in exchange for his masks. People are amazing.”
Will Vetter continue to make the masks when classes resume and her time is limited?
“I have flexibility in my schedule and I have plenty of fabric,” she said. “This is very therapeutic for me because it’s given me something to do and it keeps my mind off the news. Sometimes in life, you just have to pay if forward. I’m humbled and amazed by the response. This has given me a new lease on life.”
To inquire about Vetter’s breathing masks or to donate supplies — she said 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch flat elastic is needed — visit LinaBags LLC on Facebook.
