Crafty Ladies making masks for everyone in Carpinteria

CARPINTERIA, Calif. - Cars may not be on the move these days with the COVID-19 shelter order, but the buzz in Carpinteria may be from sewing machines.

A growing team of mask makers is working towards a goal. "The idea is to get everyone in Carpinteria to have a mask," said Louise Moore with the Crafty Ladies group.

She was making them for her family and friends on Arbol Verde street in a neighbor-to-neighbor plan to take care of those close to her home.
The need, however, was much greater as the coronavirus concerns expanded and the call to have more face protection.

Now the Crafty Ladies have about 35 members, some brand new, and a game plan starting with a kit.

"It has the materials. It has instructions. It has the wire that goes over the nose. It has a sample," said Moore. 

Often the kits are waiting on her porch for a pick-up and then they go into action.

Chris Hartman says, "they give me kits. I come and get them. I don't see Louise I sew them up and  sneak them back."   

It has a flow pattern with mystery and unusual hours. When they are finished there's another house that's a key dot on the mask map.

"They go to Lynn across the street," said Ann Matson. "She distributes them."   

Some new ones were also going into a delivery bag for an elderly group.

Laura Cook was loaded up and ready to make the drop in coordination with another group. "They're passing out some bags to seniors to keep them safe and these masks are going to go in there."

It's a collaboration that goes deeper than most people can track.

"It is the neighbor-to-neighbor, the Crafty Ladies, and the community," said Moore.

After a short break for Easter, "we are cranking up again, and we have way more requests than we can fill." They are looking for donations to keep the project on track.

Some of the crafters even recognize their own masks in the store by the material or even the color of the straps. Looking at some colorful masks, Moore said, "Boy you can tells those right away,  you know these bright ones."

Recently they also made about 400 for Cottage Hospital front line workers.

The Crafty Ladies have been meeting twice a week at the Carpinteria Community Church where they have been sewing essential clothing for those in need in other parts of the world.

The playbook went from neighbors, to the homeless to local workers.

Many masks were brought to stores and restaurants for anyone who needed face covers.

Now it's an offer for the community at large.

Funding up front has come from within their group and local residents who have been supportive when picking up masks.

The Crafty Ladies say having the ability to pay is not a factor in getting this protection.

The goal is to have a safety net around Carpinteria.

For more information or to donate to the Crafty Ladies for these masks you can email: Lynnmenicucci@yahoo.com