allergy mask

I'm allergic to Alternaria, which is a ubiquitous mold, a natural part of fungal flora almost everywhere in the world. The spores are airborne and found in the soil and water, as well as indoors and on objects. As it is an outdoor and indoor mold, it is present and growing year round. As an allergen, it is unavoidable.

While I've been able to control Alternaria in my home, going outdoors in Spring, Summer and Fall can cause me to have allergic flair-ups. Luckily, the micron size of Alternaria spores is relatively large, and therefore masks are an effective way to reduce exposure while out-of-doors. That is, if one is comfortable wearing a medical mask in public...the attention I've attracted while wearing one hasn't made me feel comfortable. It makes me feel more of a freak.

So, I've set out to fashion myself a mask that won't incite panic in the general public. I've already taken measurements of my facial contours and worked with different design ideas to come up with a pattern that will give me a custom fit for my mask. I've marked the pattern pieces onto white silk fabric, which will make my mask lovely as well as functional for filtering mold spores out of the air I'm breathing...