Photo Courtesy of Aaron Wilson ‘24
By Rebecca Gagnon ’23
Features Editor
Dinosaurs, periodic tables, Blanchard bees, treble clefs and more have all begun to grace the faces of Mount Holyoke students this semester.
This semester, Aaron Wilson ’24 and Camden Breckenridge ’24 have been making and selling masks with a myriad of different patterns at a table outside of the Community Center.
“[The masks] have adjustable straps and … they are double-layered [and] they’re handmade,” Wilson described. “We really try to go for … fun things that people want to wear and that are also comfortable.” Wilson continued to explain how the straps to the masks have safety pins that allow the wearer to adjust the mask to fit their face.
“Every now and then we make some different sizes to the actual base pattern,” Breckenridge added. “So we sell those too and you can still adjust the elastic.”
Wilson began sewing masks in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic both to make money, since he did not have a full time job. He also couldn’t find nice masks to wear in Hartland, Vermont, where he was living at the time.
Since there was a new demand for masks, Wilson also knew that the business would likely be successful.
“Originally, I was pretty new to sewing,” Wilson said. “I had sewn when I was in elementary school, and then not really much more than a simple dress, that type of thing. Then I, on the local lister, found a sewing machine for like 20 bucks and just decided to try it.”
However, while at home, Wilson’s sewing machine broke, and he concluded that in order to continue his business, he would have to wait to return to campus.
After returning, Wilson’s business changed in a big way — he now had a new business partner.
“I remembered [Breckenridge] from the first year seminar last year and how they talked about sewing,” Wilson said. “So I go over to their place and that’s kind of where everything takes place.”
“I’ve been sewing for three years and I was bringing my sewing machine to college,” Breckenridge explained. “So we ended up partnering up basically once we got here.”
Wilson stated that with Breckenridge’s help, mask making happens at a much brisker pace. Since he is new to sewing, he expressed gratitude for a more advanced partner.
However, there is a twist to their collaborative business.
“I genuinely hate sewing masks,” Breckenridge declared. “It’s very boring.”
Although Breckenridge has more experience with sewing, they do not sew the masks. Instead, that job is given to Wilson. Meanwhile, Wilson hates cutting the fabrics, since he is left-handed, so that is a task for Breckenridge.
“I cut [the fabric] out, put them in piles, cut out the lining fabric and then gave it to [Wilson],” Breckenridge explained. “[Wilson] sews the lining one piece of the outside and then joins them together and sews the edges and puts the elastic in. So, we kind of go back and forth. I cut the fabric, [Wilson] sews them, then I iron them, put the elastic in and done.”
“The sewing itself is just two of these front seams,” Wilson described, pointing to the middle seam on his mask. “And then one on each, like the top of the bottom, and then two seams for the elastic straps.”
Wilson and Breckenridge can get about 30 masks completely made in one hour. The two mass produce them so they don’t have to work order to order, which can be extremely stressful to keep up with. This also allows them to sell in Blanchard Hall instead of strictly online.
Wilson’s favorite part about making masks is shopping for the fabrics.
“I love going to the fabric store and looking at the patterns,” Wilson said. “It is so exciting to think about and there are so many fun patterns — like finding the dinosaurs.” Wilson pointed to his own dinosaur-covered mask as an example.
He added that another wonderful part of the job is when customers love the patterns he selects.
“A lot of science people — we have a chemistry one — will really love that one. Or people who have experience with farms love the cow one.”
“We have nine patterns,” Breckenridge added. “We’re sold out of a couple right now, but we’re doing nine patterns and hopefully going up to ten.”
Breckenridge explained that their favorite part about making the masks is that they get to spend time with their friend while doing it. “We talk about a lot of different things and it’s fun,” Breckenridge said. “It’s a good activity.”
The two are unsure of when they will sell in Blanchard next.
“It’s pretty random,” Wilson said. “Kind of just catch us if you can.” However, they do hope to post announcements to their Instagram page, @masksatmhc, an hour before they set up their table, to let their customers know in advance when they’ll be available. On top of that, customers can order masks online to be delivered. Masks currently cost seven dollars for one or twenty dollars for three.
Wilson stated that some important parts of starting a business are believing in the products that one is selling, choosing something that one would enjoy doing and believing in oneself. “Just kind of go for it,” Wilson said. “Be confident with it.”