The hospital had lots of donated masks, and they are starting to give them out to visitors that don’t have one with them. AND, stocking up for the 2nd wave in the fall. Was that ok? Wow, hospitals know what is coming. Of course it is ok.
This about half of what will be donated this week. The monkey one is one of my personal masks. This week’s fabric is remnants from baby quilts.
Now that Mom and I have gotten into a rhythm with our mask-making, we’ve been making lots almost every day. I find it really relaxing to just go through the repetitive motions of sewing, and it kinda helps me wind down before trying to sleep, as well as helping my mental state just by knowing I’m doing what I can to help. Here are the ones we made last Sunday:
So far we’ve donated 140 masks to the Navajo Nation and about the same amount to others. We’re getting another package ready to send to the Navajo Nation tomorrow!
Wow, love those masks @roler. I agree that making masks does help with the general anxiety levels. It’s almost a compulsion with me.
This is the last batch for a while. Connecticut is doing an amazing job of slowing down the spread due to slow reopening and mask/distance requirements. Now we are requiring 14-day quarantines from certain states. It feels so incredibly weird.
And I have to dismantle and re-configure my craft room. We are putting a door way to our new porch right through the craft room wall…which currently has bookshelves covering all access! But I want that porch!
The colors are similar to the last batch with some superhero fabric thrown in. These will be done by the weekend…about 30 masks total for this batch. That puts me over 300 masks. Not bad since I work full time, foster kittens, have a veggie garden and planting beds to maintain, love canoeing, and love to read. Oh, and the multitude of Zoom meetings that have sprouted like weeds lately.
AIMR
(Linda -2024 Choose Projects that You Want to Do :us:)
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Title: To the Beach Masks for: Niece and Family Pattern Link to Share:@magpie’s curved mask
My niece and her family are going to the beach with their 8 year old son. She is a nurse and needs a break, but she is very aware of the need to be safe. She asked if I could make her son a mask since she has plenty. I decided to make the whole family the same mask. I found some metal nose wires online that can be tacked to the outside of the mask and they are washable and bendable. I really like them a lot!
In most of the following pictures, these masks are done with all the sewing steps, but still need a few threads trimmed and the elastic added. My mom usually handles that while we’re watching BritBox or something together.
I wish I’d taken pictures of some of this fabric before we cut it. A friend of mine who works for a fabric company (her JOB is drawing designs to be printed on fabric; isn’t that awesome??) sent me a bunch of huge flower panels to use for masks. Each panel was about a yard square, with one gigantic flower printed on it. We weren’t sure what they’d look like chopped up into masks, but I’m LOVING how they’re turning out!! The purple and red ones in the photo above are from that fabric, as are some upcoming blue ones.
Title: 6/23 Masks Masks for: Navajo and others Pattern Link to Share: same
@roler and @marionberries, I am duly impressed by the number of masks that you’re each making! I’ve used a few different patterns (the CraftPassion version, @Magpie’s first version, and one at statethelabel.com).
I have a question about elastic vs ties- are you finding that people are expressing a preference? I just watched a friend struggle with her mask because the elastics weren’t tight enough and it kept slipping- how do you make them so they’re the right size- not too big, but not too tight?
And roler, do you send a cord or elastic with the ones you donate?
Thanks, @roler and @Abbeeroad! Both of those are good options. I like the cord I use for a tie, but sometimes it slips so it seems like t-shirt yarn might “grip” better, and the pony bead idea is brilliant!. I can give people a choice, now.
I just got feedback the the ones with ties were way more popular than the ones with fixed elastic. Adjustability is the key. But I had decided on the basic pleated rectangle with fixed elastic loops due to limited availability of elastic or any other type of tie material (at the time), because they used the least amount of elastic. I could stretch the number of masks I made with my available materials. I’m on hold right now because I am rearranging the craft room and the sewing machine is behind 2 - 3 feet of crafting supplies. It’s a slow process…unload a set of shelves…move the set of shelves…sort, reduce, and reload a set of shelves so I can move the next one. 3 large 3’ wide by 7’ tall shelving units and one smaller unit. Two are moved. And when we initially installed them we did way to good of a job anchoring the dang things to each other and the wall. Sheesh. Undoing your own good work is hard.
Sounds like it will be awesome when it’s done, though!
I’ve been on hold, too, but just because I needed a break. I did make some for my MIL and FIL, but forgot to take pics. Now I have a request list, so will be back at it soon enough.
And, good luck on the craft room reorganization. I have a similar task on tap for the summer, but, fortunately, I don’t have to move any well-intsalled shelving!
Title: 6/4/20 Masks for: My SIL’s friend and daughter Pattern Link to Share: none (women’s is an 8x8 square, with pipecleaner at the top and 3 pleats. child’s is 5x7 with pipecleaner at the top and 2 pleats)
8 masks in total in that batch
Title: 6/19/20 Masks for: My husband who travels for work a lot, my sister, my friend’s husband and extras for whoever needed them. 16 masks in total in that batch Pattern Link to Share: (Men’s size is a 9x9 square with pipecleaner at the top and 3 pleats. I use tshirt or any stretch material that doesn’t fray for the ear loops. they are so soft and comfortable)
Can you believe I’m working on more this week? I decided that smaller batches are less demanding on me, so I’m going to do a few a day. I’m snipping threads and I will have some more done.
I purchased these metal nose strips online and they have made a huge difference in fit and ease of making…plus, if a person doesn’t like them, they can easily be removed with a few snips!
I really like the nose strips! I have been having trouble with my glasses steaming up, and I’m betting the nose strips would help. Can you share where you got them? You can message me if you don’t want to post it here
I find that even when I add the pipecleaner to the top that my masks it will still steam up my glasses. I usually have to wear my masks high up and put my glasses over the nose on my masks to keep it from steaming up.
Good to know! I have to be careful- I have to find a mask that isn’t so big that it hits my eyes, but still fits under my glasses. Not a lot of wiggle room!
Now I have a request list, so will be back at it soon enough.
