Sewickley woman makes pandemic masks for charity

A Sewickley woman has used her sewing talents to keep people safe and raise more than $12,000 for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden.

It all started in March when covid-19 cases reached pandemic proportions and a friend asked Cheryl Redmond to make masks for area nurses.

“It’s really hard to get masks and really hard to get elastic,” said Redmond, 74.

She made about 40 masks for her friend, and then word got out about how great they worked. Pretty soon more people were asking for the cotton face coverings.

“It’s just been wonderful,” Redmond said. “People keep asking for the masks. They really like them.”

She now makes between 10 and 15 per day. They come in either two or three layers of fabric with extra stitching around the nose to help keep them from falling off or breath from fogging up glasses.

There are adjustable elastic bands for the ears.

Redmond lives with her husband, Jim, in the Sewickley Village Condominiums.

It’s the same building Sister Catherine Higgins, director of health and wellness for Sisters of St. Joseph, calls home.

Higgins was impressed with Redmond’s craftsmanship and asked if she would be willing to help her.

Sisters of St. Joseph is a Roman Catholic order of religious women located in Baden, Beaver County. They have been there for more than 100 years and have more than 60 sisters in its Mother House.

Many have been involved in education or nursing for most of their lives.

Among the sisters at the Mother House, 26 are in supportive living. They and their care workers needed masks.

“Everyone is required to wear a mask unless they are in their own rooms with door shut due to safety reasons,” Higgins said. “We’ve been blessed with no covid, but that can happen at any time. I think the masks have certainly been a help in preventing the spread of that virus in our Mother House.”

Redmond then began selling her masks for a $10 donation with all proceeds going to help the Sisters.

She has made more than 2,700 masks, including many given away for free, and raised $12,500.

Higgins said the money has been used to buy furniture and various other supplies.

“It’s been extremely helpful to our sisters and those assisting our sisters,” Higgins said. “I am so overwhelmed by her gracious generosity. She’s asked for no recognition. She simply donates and spends all that time and materials.

“They’re washable. They’re comfortable. They bring lots of nice comments. She’s incredibly generous and has done this on her own and raised a significant amount of money.”

Redmond, a retired private music teacher of 30 years, developed her sewing talents at a young age and in another country. She grew up in the city of Flin Flon in Manitoba, Canada.

Redmond said she took a sewing class in eighth grade at what was then the Singer Sewing Center.

She also did some sewing in high school before pursuing a career in music. Redmond earned a scholarship to study at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.

She moved to the United States in 1968 and became an American citizen in 1993.

It was in the early ’90s when Redmond took up quilting and further developed her craft.

She said it has been a joy to use her creative gifts to help people.

“It’s really been rewarding to see all of this happening and see people wearing the masks,” she said.

People interested in acquiring Redmond’s masks can do so at several stores in Sewickley: Martin’s Salon of Sewickley at 526 Locust Place; Craig Allen Salon at 535 Beaver St.; and Lex & Lynne at 514 Beaver St.

People can also email Redmond at caredmond@mac.com or call 412-977-6670 for custom orders.