Jen's Needleworks in Aplington making masks for those in need

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Recently, there's been a different kind of buzz in Jen's Needleworks in Aplington.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, medical and care facilities are running low on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Doctors, nurses and caregivers are having to reuse gloves and masks as a rapidly-depleting supply is stretched thin.

Allen Hospital in Waterloo made a request for those with sewing abilities to help put together masks to replenish this supply.

That inspired Jen Nevenhoven and friends to help out similar groups in the area, and they're answering the call.

Nevenhoven, owner and operator at the shop on the corner of 9th and Parriott, is teaming up with seven volunteers working tirelessly to help those on the front line of defense against the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Upon entering the makeshift mask workshop, the fruits of the labor are evident – stacks of completed pieces sit in neat, overlapping rows on the checkout counter. More tidy piles are propped up in a basket near the window, and handfuls of masks are around wherever there is room.

A table is set up in the corner, near various bolts of fabric. Three sewing machines emit a consistent hum and whir as the women help stitch the masks together.

"We had about a hundred [made] yesterday," Nevenhoven said, "we haven't counted today. We're kind of doing them in assembly lines, so we have a lot in-process. We'll finish a whole bunch at once."

The goal is to make at least 100 masks each day, "if not more," Nevenhoven added.

The volume of the masks produced is even more impressive when considering the craftsmanship put into each of the protective wear items. There are two distinct styles, a pleated front and a pieced front, in a multitude of colors and patterns.

"Different people want different kinds," Nevenhoven said.

Initial batches were designed with the Butler County ambulatory crews and Maple Manor in mind, as well as for the daughter of a friend at a nursing home.

But word travels fast, and Nevenhoven's mask-crafting squad were soon receiving calls from other organizations.

"We've got quite a list of those in need right now," Nevenhoven said. "I don't know how many we'll get done, but we're trying."

While production is fast, a dwindling supply of materials may hamper the team's ability to quickly manufacture these essential items.

"Elastic is one of the hardest things to come by right now, but I can't even order it to get it," Nevenhoven said.

There are several ways people can pitch in to help the mask-making effort. Nevenhoven encourages that the more people that want to help, the better.

"If people want to donate fabric, money for supplies, those are needed," Nevenhoven said. "Time is needed as well, obviously. It takes time to make (masks). If they're a sewer, even if they're not, there's things they can do to help."

Other individuals are cutting, pressing, doing other tasks that aid in what is truly a team effort.

"Thanks to those that have helped … with all of the steps," Nevenhoven said, "because I cannot do this by myself. I would not have a hundred of these made by myself."

If you want to help Jen Nevenhoven and her team, call Jen's Needleworks, 319-347-2793, to find out the best way to help.