What can I make to help fight COVID-19?

During these uncertain times, many of us are looking for ways to support health workers on the frontline of the pandemic. One way makers in the craft community can help is to rally together and sew scrubs, headbands and wash bags. Items desperately needed by those caring for people with COVID-19.

We’ve rounded up some of the best organisations and patterns to help you get involved and use your sewing skills to fight COVID-19.

Sew scrubs with love

For the Love of Scrubs has lots of information on how you can help hospitals, hospices, care homes and G surgeries and individuals who need scrubs, headbands and more. Check out their ‘about’ and ‘announcement’ sections to find sewing patterns and a list of hospitals looking for donations. It’s important to check which hospitals are in need and what their fabric, colour and labelling requirements are before you start making.

Support For the Love of Scrubs

You can also check out Scrub Hub who are helping make scrubs for individual NHS workers who are in desperate need.

Help Scrub Hub

Free scrubs pattern

We are forever grateful for the love and support our awesome makers have shown each other and every single person working on the frontline. If you would like to support your local health workers, check out the free sewing pattern for medical scrubs by Sew Different and please consider making a donation on the page.

Download Pattern from Sew Different

PDFPatternsBoutique also has a scrubs sewing pattern for download for free from the For The Love of Scrubs Facebook group under ‘Files’.

Download Scrub Sewing Pattern

Headbands with buttons

Doctors, nurses and other key workers who need to wear face masks to care for patients experience a lot of ear irritation as a result of long hours wearing face masks. Makers are helping key workers out by donating headbands with buttons on the side, which you can loop the elastic of a face mask over instead of your ears. Check out Happy Together by Jess for a tutorial on how to make a headband.

Follow Jessica's Tutorial

Scrubs wash bags

Health workers on the front line need to ensure that their scrubs or uniforms are clean to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the easiest way to do this is to put any clothing that may have come into contact with the disease into a cotton, polycotton bag, or even a pillowcase, that can immediately be put in the washing machine.

WillowCreek Quilts has put together a sewing pattern for a scrub wash bag, which you can donate to hospitals and hospices asking for donations.

Photo courtesy of Beverley Taylor, a member of the Sewing for the NHS - Bedfordshire, Bucks & Milton Keynes

Download Wash Bag Tutorial

Crochet mask mates

Surgical masks can be uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time, so to ease the burden these handy little crochet mask mates are a quick make that can have a huge impact, as the elastic of a mask can be hooked over the buttons rather than sensitive ears.