The shelves at stores around Clinton are bare and certain essential supplies are low. One major demand in the community, state and nation are protective face masks — and two local sewing shops on Faison Highway are pitching in as best they can to help.
Tracey Oates, owner of Elizabeth’s Garden and Gifts, has made around 25 masks and she is currently giving them away for free. She is doing them by request and attempting to get to those requests as soon as she can. Her current stock is spoken for, however, and there is a waiting list regardless of whether people want to pay or not. She has not accepted any payment for any masks thus far and doesn’t plan to in the immediate future.
The store owner collaborates with a husband and wife duo, Ray and Sylvia Hales. The Hales have collectively made around 75 masks for Elizabeth’s Garden and Gifts to give out to the community free of charge.
The store owner stated that, of the 100 masks made between the three of them, almost half have made their way to residents in Sampson and Cumberland counties.
“I did not realize the response I was going to get would be so high after I posted it on Facebook,” Oates expressed of a posting from last week. “I’m still getting messages through Facebook today.”
Oates uses cotton fabric and elastic bands to make the masks. She found the design on buttoncounter.com.
The website shows a step-by-step process with photos for people to follow should they want to make masks at home. The pattern calls for cotton and a 1/4-inch of elastic, but supplies for elastic are running low since so many people are making masks at home.
People send in requests through Facebook, in person at the store or via phone call. The shop owner is still currently taking requests, although she has run out of the elastic used to make the masks. Oates plans to switch to an alternative way to create them using string she will make out of fabric scraps.
Over 50 individuals or groups sent in a request for these protective face masks.
Oates also noted that the masks are washable.
“I’m grateful that I can give something back,” Oates expressed. “I like to sew and I have a lot of extra material so I just do my part to give back.”
Elizabeth’s Garden and Gifts, located at 394 Faison Hwy., Clinton, closed its doors to customers on Monday per Governor Roy Cooper’s order, However, the shop will remain open to customers willing to pay with a card over the phone or pay through PayPal.
March through May is typically a busy season for the shop and Oates found it hard to close.
“It’s heartbreaking, but I am trusting that the good Lord is going to take care of me,” Oates stated. “Hopefully this is going to blow over soon and we’ll be back to normal.”
Aside from being inspired through all the requests she has seen for these masks on Facebook, Oates stated that she was inspired to create these masks because of her store neighbor Ann Oliver of Ann’s Sew-N-Vac, who is also creating these free masks. Oates and Oliver are located side-by-side on Faison Highway in Clinton, with Oliver’s store at 360 Faison Hwy., Clinton.
“I wanted to do anything I could to help out in the community, especially the health workers and people on the front line dealing with sick people,” Oliver stated.
Oliver is only accepting customers at the door. The workers will meet customers outside, bring out what they need and then proceed with the transaction. The workers wash their hands between every customer.
“We’re trying to still be of service, but we just don’t want anyone to get contaminated by someone who could come in and might not know they have the virus,” Oliver explained. “We just try to keep it safe.”
Oliver has Terri Riddle and Brittany Warren helping her to create these protective face masks. The trio has created over 100 masks and has shipped them out as far as Florida.
Their masks are also free, as is the shipping and handling. They are using the same design as Oates and the Hales couple. They are also still accepting requests.
Oliver has several people in her family that are in the nursing or the health field. That fact makes her aware of how dire the need is for these protective masks.
“I just wish we had safer material to use,” Oliver stated of the cotton fabric.
Ann’s Sew-N-Vac sells machinery that people will need to continue to purchase, so she believes she will likely remain open. They aren’t limiting their hours, but are asking people to stay outside at the door. If someone does not get service right away, they can call to let the workers know they are waiting outside.
For Oates, she is counting on her customers to continue shopping online so that her doors can reopen after the pandemic. She is currently working on an official website for her shop and encourages people to check their Facebook page for updates.
The shop mostly focuses on custom design work, primarily embroidery. Springtime is usually a busy season because customers will order custom Easter baskets or Easter-themed shirts or even baby onesies.
There are usually plants for sale at the shop, but with the COVID-19 pandemic, Oates did not want to risk buying plants if there were no customers interested this year. She will still sell bales of hay.
Oates stated that once she closed the doors to the shop at the end of the day, she would keep busy with sewing custom pillowcases. At least four people have dropped off cushions that they want pillowcases for so that they could spruce up their outside patios. With everyone stuck at home, the theory is that they want something nice to look at when they step outside their doors.
Of course, she will also get to work on creating more masks to meet the demands of people placing their requests.
Oates also expressed that she may look into creating some nursing caps as well with all of her newfound free time. However, she is unsure if there is a need for those right now.
She explained that she could embroider the face masks per request, however, the embroidery work wouldn’t be free.
“We personalize just about everything,” Oates stated.
People can contact Oates via phone at 910-592-3043 or visit Elizabeth’s Garden and Gifts on Facebook. Those interested can call Ann’s Sew-N-Vac at 910-592-807 or visit them on Facebook.
