Capital Quilts: COVID-19 Update

Dear Friends,

Capital Quilts remains available to you for online and phoned-in orders unless and until we are told to shut down completely. We hope that our “no contact” methods of shipping and curbside pickup will exempt us from closing. We ask that you be patient; most days it's just Alison and Kat working, and at least one of our distributors has stopped shipping. Please be understanding if we are out of what you need.  Please know that we are doing everything we can to get you the sewing supplies that you need to get through this.

Please note that all classes, clubs, rentals, and the like are cancelled until further notice. You may still receive automated reminders from our computer system about these items, but rest assured, they are not happening at least until such time as we reopen to the public.

We have appreciated all the kind words and orders over the past week, and have been so impressed by your willingness to devise creative shopping solutions: emailing pictures, shopping through the window, FaceTiming, and the like. We even got one request who put complete faith in us to choose 17 fabrics for her!

We are now able to "store" your credit card information in our credit card "vault", much like Amazon and other online retailers.  If you call us to process an order, we will ask if you would like your card stored in this manner.  It is secure, but not required.


KEEP CALM AND SEW A MASK

We know that the entire sewing and quilting community is poised and ready to jump in and make masks for health care facilities. We have received tons of inquiries about this sew-at-home project. We are both delighted and completely unsurprised at your willingness to help! Your efforts will not only help the community at large; it can also provide you with an opportunity to make a difference while you are sequestered in your home.

Deaconess Health Care in Indiana put out a plea for homemade masks, and within 24 hours had secured all the masks they requested and more. There have been a few official requests from other health care facilities as well, though none in our immediate area. Each of these had specified patterns, materials, and methods of construction.

To avoid confusion and ensure the masks you make will be actually used, we urge you to find a group already in the process of making masks and join their efforts. Relief Crafters of America is one such group; Days for Girls has started a "Masks4Millions" campaign, and we know there are more. The Relief Crafters Group can be found on FaceBook at www.facebook.com/groups/reliefcraftersofamerica. They appear very organized, and have already received requests from 127 facilities. They have orders for over 10,000 masks. Days for Girls is known for their committment to bettering lives, and their program appears well organized as well. Find more information about Masks4Millions at https://www.daysforgirls.org/single-post/Masks4Millions

By working with such a group, it streamlines the whole process, allowing hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities to have a single point of contact, rather than fielding hundreds of inquiries from individuals.

If you have personally been contacted by someone in the health care system regarding making masks, please pay close attention to the requirements they have. There are a ton of patterns out there, and every other article or tutorial has differing fabric choices. Should the masks be fitted, pleated, or have a pocket to insert an additional filter? Should they have elastic ear loops or fabric ties? Should you use tightly woven cotton, flannel, non woven material, or PUL? Whatever choices the recipient makes, please follow them to the “T”.

Join fabric icons such as Andover Fabrics, Modern Quilt Studio, and fashion designer Christian Siriano in this grassroots effort to supplement much needed personal protection equipment for health care professionals and patients.

Although these homemade masks are not effective for stopping the Coronavirus, they may be used on or around other patients. The recommendation from the World Health Organization is that healthy people need not wear masks unless they are caring for someone who is ill, and notes that masks are only effective in concert with proper hand washing and other disinfecting routines. Once put on, they should only be touched for removal, and even then only by the sides. They should immediately be washed and sanitized to as to avoid spreading any contamination. Of course, a thorough handwashing should take place afterwards.

We’d also like to remind people that the best defense against COVID-19 is the combination of proper and frequent hand washing, not touching your face, proper disinfecting, and social distancing. Please visit the websites for the Center of Disease Control, the World Health Organization, or your local health department for up-to-date information on this pandemic.

Because of the uncertainty of whether or not we will be allowed to remain open for online orders (curbsite pickup or shipped to your home), we will not spearhead an effort to sew masks, nor will we serve as a collection point, but we applaud your efforts if you are sewing some.


Go 'n' Piece,

Alison, Kat, Barbara B., Barbara K., Carol P., Carol W., Erika, Jan, Julie, Liz B., Liz J., Kelly, Lora, Marianne, Mary Lou, and Pam