By Melanie DeStefano

When states began to call on residents to wear masks in public spaces to curb the spread of COVID-19, Christina Malcolm was prepared. She had already been sewing away to create masks for area first responders and healthcare staff.

“I’m currently making several versions of face masks and scrub hats for various groups,” said the Blairstown resident, “including the Washington Emergency Squad, Newton Hospital, and friends and family members who are in the medical field.”

And new projects keep coming up.

Just this week, a friend from the Jersey City Police Department asked if she could sew black N95 mask covers that could be worn for a funeral detail.

She takes a lot into consideration for each mask she makes, thinking about who will be wearing it, for how long, and what kind of exposure level they might have.

Simple, double-layer fabric masks are called on for casual contact and recommended for non-medical staff and civilians. For medical personnel, she makes tie-on masks because elastic can cause discomfort after longer periods of wear. Some masks even have inserts for filters.

One important consideration for anyone making masks? “[Medical staff] would like the mask to be made with two different fabrics so they can tell which side was on their face.” That way, they don’t risk contamination when they put it back on.

With more than 50 face masks and 39 scrub hats under her belt, she’s a bit of an expert on the subject now, but that wasn’t her intention when she began.

As a 911 Dispatcher for Warren County, she has made a lot of friends who are emergency personnel. She simply wanted to keep her friends safe as they interacted with the public.

This Era’s Rosie the Riveter

During World War II, Rosie the Riveter was the face of a call to action. Then, it was calling women into machinery factories. In a war against a virus, doing your part means something else entirely: distancing yourself from others and helping those who can’t.

“Sewing these masks makes me feel like the Rosie the Riveter of our generation,” she said. “This is our war, and I’ve been called up to help those in need.”

She is joined by many crafters in this call.

“The crafting community has really stepped up to make these masks – it’s pretty much the only thing being discussed on the Facebook groups right now,” she said.

Seasoned and novice embroiderers and sewers alike are stepping up not for money or glory but for the good of the people.

“I’ve never been more proud to help do my part than now, which is a strong statement considering what I’ve been doing for a living for the past 14 years!” she said.

Christina moved to Warren County from Parsippany with her husband, Chris, who owns Victoria’s Pest Control, in the early 2000s. At first, she commuted to Parsippany, but found the commute “just really stunk.” By Spring 2006, she was ready for something local. That’s when she joined Warren County’s public safety team as a Public Safety Telecommunicator.

There, she works in 12-hour shifts answering 911 and non-emergency calls for the entire county, dispatching police, EMS and fire personnel as needed.

It can be a high-pressure job, but there’s downtime, too. For those times, she turns to her crafting.

She learned to love crafting at a young age from her mother. Though she’s currently using her sewing prowess for the greater good, she also cross-stitches, crochets, and makes wreaths and tumblers, among other things.

“There isn’t a single craft that I haven’t dabbled in,” she said. She even creates whole outfits for her children, Victoria, 6, and Scott, 2, although he is much less willing than his sister to wear them. Each Belvidere Victorian Days, Christina creates period pieces, as well.

Even with so many masks and hats under her wing, she has no plans on stopping until her fabric stash has been depleted – which could take a while as she considers herself a Connoisseur of Fine Fabric (but decidedly not a hoarder of fabrics).

Interested in making your own masks? The Warren County Library System put together resources, guides, and videos to help you get started. You can check it out here.

At Inside Warren, we know there’s always good people and good news, even in times of uncertainty. Do you have good news to share? Send it to info@insidewarren.com