Looking for a Craft Project in the Period of Plague

April 19, 2020 1:57 PM

It may be too soon, but here is the cutest Plague Doctor Mask you will ever likely need.
posted by GenjiandProust (14 comments total)

The trick, for me, would be getting this thing to work with glasses. Also, the fact that my sewing skills are very basic (i can fix some seams and resew buttins, and that's about it. Honestly, I am kind of in awe of this....
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:48 PM on April 19, 2020 [2 favorites]

That's absolutely wonderful.

It also got me thinking about other historical clothing that might be useful in a pandemic. Things like giant hoop skirts for enforcing distance, or this.
posted by trig at 3:51 PM on April 19, 2020 [4 favorites]

I've already started on a plague doctor sock monkey, so I've added this to my to-do list. I think my sewing skills are up to it, and I even have all the materials, but like GenjiandProust I'm not sure if it would work over my glasses.
posted by Fuchsoid at 5:24 PM on April 19, 2020 [3 favorites]

oh man, I saw & reblogged this on tumblr a few (? several? time has lost all meaning) days ago. I've been working on an English paper piecing hexagon quilt, and I sort of wonder if this could be made with EPP.
posted by nonasuch at 5:32 PM on April 19, 2020 [3 favorites]

``basting is for cowards''

I wonder how well interfacing cuts on a laser cutter. Also, I think the glasses fogging would be best solved by an internal flange dividing the breathing and the seeing, but that would complicate the turning the beak inside out through an eyehole.
posted by clew at 6:22 PM on April 19, 2020 [2 favorites]

You could also use one-way mesh for the eyeholes? but that might compromise its function, such as it is.
posted by nonasuch at 6:42 PM on April 19, 2020 [2 favorites]

I see your quilted plague doctor mask and raise you a beaded plague doctor mask.
posted by jeather at 6:42 PM on April 19, 2020 [10 favorites]

I love this! Thank you for posting it. I've now sent it to a friend who possesses advanced sewing skills and she is intrigued.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 7:14 PM on April 19, 2020 [2 favorites]

And jeather, that beaded mask is gorgeous.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 7:15 PM on April 19, 2020 [2 favorites]

The beaded mask is really neat!

It would take design changes to not have fogging lenses, but it does look good with those in place.
posted by Dip Flash at 9:47 PM on April 19, 2020 [2 favorites]

The quilted mask is incredible; I have the tools but neither the materials nor the skills to create something like this, and then there's the glasses problem. But I do enjoy seeing all the fabulous creative masks people have been making. That beaded one is something special, too!

Thanks for sharing!
posted by danabanana at 3:51 AM on April 20, 2020 [1 favorite]

The obvious solution for you glasses wearers is to get an extra set of prescription lenses to sew into the eyeholes. ;)
posted by Ben Trismegistus at 7:34 AM on April 20, 2020 [2 favorites]

Some friends and I were discussing making plague masks to wear during the current pandemic but it feels like it would be signalling to the world that we're a bunch of jerks (wouldn't be incorrect but still...). Bright colours and patterns might help on that front.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 12:18 PM on April 20, 2020 [1 favorite]

Halloween this year is gonna be... boring.
posted by glonous keming at 6:28 PM on April 20, 2020 [1 favorite]