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Essex Fourth-Grader Starts Business Making Custom Face Masks Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

ESSEX, Md. (WJZ) -- A Baltimore County fourth-grader is taking advantage of the surge in demand for face masks amid the coronavirus to start her own business making custom masks.

Nine-year-old Payton Spruell started Perfectly Payton by sewing masks in her basement. For the past few weeks, she's been sewing custom-fit masks using Facebook and word-of-mouth to reach potential customers.

"We start off our mask by sewing in the protection," she explained.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: 

Making the masks has become a calling of sorts amid the pandemic.

"You have the layers and filters so that way it has extra protection over your mouth so you're not catching the germs and things that are around you," she said.

When WJZ arrived to see her process in action Tuesday, she had already finished her homework for the day. That gave her plenty of time to show her work for the camera.

"(We have) Disney, regular, prints, we have a lot of fabrics for people," she said.

READ MORE: Executive Order Requiring Face Coverings In All Maryland Businesses, Public Transit Goes Into Effect

So far, Spruell has made more than 100 masks, giving some away to first responders and health care workers.

The business is a family affair, Spruell is proud to point out.

"I have my grandmother over here trying to help us with the problem we sometimes have, my mom ironed everything out and gets it sorted for us and I'm over here on the sewing machine," she explained.

Spruell hopes the masks will provide a bit of color in peoples' lives during a dark time.

To learn more, visit her Facebook page here.

For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.

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