How is everybody doing with social distancing and being under house arrest?
I decided to make some fabric masks for my daughter, her two roommates, and my beloved, feisty aunt.
Protecting the Riley's roommates protects my daughter (and, I love her roommates!).
Let's just say that a handful of masks became 91 really fast...family, family, family.
So, I decided to make the masks with crazy, cheerful, novelty fabrics. I went on Pinterest and found, and read, a few of the mask-making free tutorials. The one I decided on required a main fabric and a coordinating strip.
Well, I forgot the first rule for tutorials, or really anything.
Don't cut out 60 sets of fabrics for projects/blocks without making one first. It may be inaccurate or not be a good approach for you.
Trying to make the main part was not that bad, but then there were the short strips that were to go on the pleated edges (to be turned and flipped to the back while securing the elastic).
It looked like crap. Layers were too thick for adding the strip and all top stitching was impossible. I was even using my Featherweight, which can sew through a motor boat.
There had to be a better way. I sort of came up with an easier way, but checked out Pinterest to see if anyone was doing it my way...not really.
Originally I really enjoyed matching up scrappy strips with my larger rectangles. It is always enjoyable to jump into a pile of really fun fabrics and match things up, thinking about the fabric theme and personality of the recipient.
Now I have the unused matching scrappy strips. No problem. I went through all my little folded mask rectangles and removed those tucked-in coordinating strips. I ended up with this pile, which isn't a bad thing. I love scrappy projects.
Disaster number two. I only had enough 1/8 or 1/4 elastic for a dozen masks. I went on Amazon, JoAnn's, Michaels, Craft Direct, Nancy's Notions, Google...there was none anywhere in this country until the end of April (I ordered a big spool weeks ago).
Apparently in addition to not making enough PPE and ventilators in this country, we don't make elastic anymore. My huge spool is coming from China. America's manufacturing is messed up!
Judging from the number of Etsy sellers offering masks and the stories/blog posts about volunteering to make masks, I can see why there is no elastic in the USA! I wonder where they are getting their elastic?
I wish I hoarded dress-making materials like I hoard fabric.
I had also planned to make these for all my siblings and their families, planning two masks for each person (wash one, while wearing other). They were also in sorted and labeled into piles, ready for a couple of good DVDs and a lot of chain piecing.
Anyway, I continued with my first dozen, three a piece, turning under the ends, marking and pinning the pleats, tucking in elastic, and top stitching the whole thing. It worked pretty well!
I hope I get faster with the remaining eighty-seven!
Voila!
Stay safe!
In stitches, Teresa :o)
On another thread...
My Aunt Katrina is 91 and acts like 70 or less. She drives, mows, does yard work, and she is used to getting out and going anywhere she wants (usually in her sporty little Mazda Miata).
She is totally behaving herself, though. She is my hero and my last "parent." I love her so much, and I am so glad she's being a good girl.
My daughter and her two roommies are trapped in their apartment in Atlanta. Riley is laid off, Katharina was working from home (now back at a law office), and Joe kept his chef job at a pizza place 4 nights a week, but currently acts as indoor host for pick up.
I worry about K and J going out to work and bringing virus home. They have been taking turns going out and foraging for toilet paper and groceries, so basically once every three weeks.
I wanted Riley to just come home to Yeldell, but she wanted to stay with her buds. They have been cooking together (and learning so much from each other, which is awesome!) and catching up with a lot of TV series/movies. Then there's the online D & D with friends...NERDS! And ZOOM gatherings...I need to catch up with the new technology.
I don't think they thought they would be doing social distancing and being so careful for so long.
I think Riley is afraid at this point she would come home and infect her old parents (65 and 59). She is almost overly careful, which I am glad of.
