Oh my..what a day Sunday was. Moral here was ho-hum. I think everything is going to ebb and flow and Sunday was more of an “ebb” day than a flow day. It’s okay…Sunday is past and it’s a new day.
After all of my work making masks that I had done, the place where the girls work post this on their Facebook page:
“We have had many people ask if they can help by making homemade masks. We so appreciate the support, but want you to wait until we can get word from Iowa Department of Public Health on if and how these can meet our very specific infection control standards. IF we are able to accept homemade masks we can safely use, we will share this news on Facebook with details. For now, please continue to do your part by practicing social distancing, covering your cough or sneeze and staying home if you do not feel well. Thanks!”
WHAT??? Every hospital in our area is asking for them. EVERYONE! I can’t believe that the hospital has enough equipment but every other hospital in our area doesn’t. Personally I think they are behind the times. (I would say more but can’t. Just know it’s all stupid.)
Oh well…it was very disheartening. But I decided that I would make masks anyway. If their hospital doesn’t need them, others in our area do. So I finished 17 on Sunday. I didn’t work as hard to crank them out after the news from the hospital. Here they are….
Do you recognize any fabric? All but three in this batch were from gifted fabric.
Another annoying thing that happened, Rosie chewed my iron cord. This happened while it was plugged in. AH…THAT DOG!!
She chewed the vacuum cord the other day but I caught her before that got serious. Luckily I just ordered another iron a little bit ago.
I have another large group of masks in progress that I’m hoping to get almost finished today. Then I’m going to take a little break and get the house in order. I’ll start tackling them again once I know there is still a need. Ever since Friday morning, all of my focus has been on mask making. Karl has been doing the cooking and although he’s a great cook, the kitchen needs a good clean and tidy….and does the rest of the house. I forgot how much cleaning and tidying of day to day stuff gets done while I’m doing childcare.
After I gave up on mask making, Karl suggested we drive to the yogurt store, Country View Dairy. They operate a small yogurt making business south of us. It’s located on the farm and very few people are there. Usually zero people are there and payment is on the honor system so there isn’t even a clerk. It’s about as safe as we could get and still get out of the house. They offer frozen yogurt. Karl and I love getting froyo (Frozen Yogurt) there.
Sadly we were greeted by this sign….
UGH. Our little getaway got shut down….COVID took that too.
In the evenings I have been cross stitching for an hour or so each night.
This is the 40 count linen project I was telling you about last week. I can do it!!! I stitch much slower but I LOVE the look and am so happy with it. It’s a little harder as I can’t always do a sewing stitch. Sometimes I have to do a bit of a poke stitch…that’s okay.
This is the chart. I should be almost half done soon. 
Seriously, I have loved working on this.
Remember that I started this to see if I could stitch on 40 count linen? Well I can so I ended up ordering the sampler I was thinking about ordering. I’m anxiously awaiting its arrival.
Today is a new day…I’m happier today…I think through all of this, it’s a one day at a time thing.
i,feel so lazy after reading one of your posts. admittedly you are younger than i but still.
I can supply you with an address to send your masks to should the need arise. Hospital here definitely asked for them.
We had a dog, PeeWee, that chewed. One day he chewed Christmas tree lights. Must have gotten shocked. Never chewed another thing. Girls cat, Dumbledore, chewed THREE sets of phone charging cords. Must be different material now because he’s stopped. When I would go to buy new – back when only available in phone store – they would say “dog chew them.” NOPE, cat!! Everyone would laugh and I would tell my daughters – if he does it again you’re buying next set.
I wonder if the hospital has gotten flack for the health department and the FB message is their public pushback together the health department to actively help solve the problem or get out of the way. Veterans Homes are asking for them here as well as volunteer first response groups.
I can empathize with the ebbs and flows of the mood. Somedays I feel sick to my stomach, and others I feel hopeful……..trying to keep sewing to keep my mind off things. We have been doing facetime with daughter, son in law, and 5 year old grandson everyday. That helps ………
Like you, I love counted cross stitch. I have been working on 28 count…… not sure about doing 40 count. Looks like you got this…..
I agree with you and others. New York city and state need them. Do they have a place for filters? I hope you find a home for them.
I have shared your mask tips with friends. My doctor friend in NC requested some from me so your efforts are helpful!
Fortunately our dog is out of the chewing stage – but not our cats. And they’re older than the dog! LOL!
Yeah, this virus is making days go slow and people are getting on each others nerves (at home anyway). The few people we see when we shop for things we need, are happy to just be out for a few minutes, even if we stay away from each other. A friendly wave or hello from a distance helps.
I have heard some hospitals want them some don’t. Sure wish someone would make up their minds. :-)
Love and prayers
Jo, another blog had a commentor that said she had gone to using selvedge edges as ties!! I know many people cut their selvedge edges at 1″-1 1/2″ wide, to cut off that tightly woven section of fabric at the sides that tends to shrink more when washed. But those scraps could be used for ties on face masks now, if they are lying around the sewing room.
I think everyone has the ebb & flow times, even by the hour! I try to be upbeat and positive for my husband-he is reading on-line & watching news and he definitely has more ebbs than flows. I try to encourage him to do less of it, but it’s hard to find anything else to do for him-I should teach him to quilt so he’d have a hobby to concentrate on. At 80, he doesn’t seem interested in doing any of my household chores! I am going to sew masks, but our local quilt shop is still waiting for the “specs” from our local hospital-but they do indeed want them!!! We’re all doing what we can, but most importantly is stay in to keep yourself & others safe! Bless you and your family, readers & our first responders through these trying times. Hugs, Janine
As a registered nurse, I can tell you that quilting cotton face masks do nothing to protect nurses and doctors from bacterial and viral particles. The reason hospitals use n95 respirator masks is to prevent particles as small as 0.03 microns from going thru. The sizes of most viruses are that small. For the general public homemade masks provide some protection from cold air, dusting furniture, etc. These masks would be used only as a last resort and would be disposed of after use. Cotton fabric becomes damp from breathing and makes a warm moist breeding environment for more bacteria and viruses.
I think anyone making masks was doing so as a noble and “helpful” gesture without understanding of the science and technology behind n95 masks.
As a health care wotker, I too have questioned making these masks. Despite that, I’ve been making some as many are asking for them, if not hospitals, nursing homes and group homes for developmentally disabled. The one thing about Jo’s style is that it has a place to insert filtering material or can be used over the N95 to preserve it.
During this difficult time, it would be good for everyone to take in a church service online to help relieve some of the stress. Mary from Country Threads said her church service from their church is online. She played the piano for it. Just remember, God is still in control! I don’t know what I would do without my church family!
My niece is a nurse and they are asking for them. they know it isn’t 100% but they have been told to use bandanas or scarves. These masks are better than nothing and better than scarves and bandanas. I have been making them. If they can’t use them then I will give to my neighbors. pam
Jo, I called my doctors office, they said they would gladly take them. My friend and I are making 3 for each doctor, nurse, lab tec, and office personal. You have to be protected as best as you can, something is better than nothing.
Rosie could have become fried Rosie. I sure hope she doesn’t find any more cords to chew. Puppies can sure be a trial at times.
I haven’t jumped on the homemade mask bandwagon yet. I know there is quite a bit of controversy about them. Some say batik fabric would be best to make them from because of the very tight weave. I have a feeling smaller rural hospitals will see a need once this virus really takes of in the center of the country. Any availability of new production of N95 masks will be going to the big hospitals in the big cities and our local hospitals will be left wanting. Nothing new about that on many things in small rural communities.
Sorry about the yogurt. It would have been a great treat after a couple hard weeks.
My niece is a nurse. She asked me to make the masks.
I was reading local news. A hospital is calling for the homemade masks because they can not even get the basic masks that we usually see at MD offices. If anyone needs a place to send the ones you are making, please consider Arnot Ogden Medical Center 600 Roe Ave Elmira NY 14905
Thanks
I understand your frustration with “we need masks” then “we cannot accept homemade items”. My local hospital is doing the same thing. First, the can’t accept homemade items, including the community service quilts we have previously supplied for the NICU and Dialysis Unit. Nope, cannot use homemade masks either. Then, yes, we need sanitizable cloth masks. Now, they are saying they can’t use them. Good grief, get your stories straight!
Tomorrow I will be making masks, if not for my local hospital then I will find a way to deliver them to the Seattle hospitals that have put out a Million Mask Challenge.
If you live near a Joann fabrics store, many of them are offering free kits!
Oh man, I share your frustration with having a pet that chews on things! My cats chew on cords, I’ve had a cat, often more than one my whole life and never before had cats chew on things before! She chewed on the wiring for my adjustable bed! She chewed on my phone charging cords! She chewed on lamp cords! We finally had to buy cord protective coils and bitter apple spray (Amazon.com) to deter her. Perhaps the spray might help deter Rosie, too!?!
Am I missing where the pattern is? In another post? Looking on Pinterest is a little overwhelming. Jo yours are so colorful and I like the ties. I have lots of odd bits of bias tape left from years of making aprons as I was a school lunch lady, this would be a great way to use them.
thanks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCJcE-r7kcg&fbclid=IwAR3FwjtCG16odshV2baElIqRRu4matx2LE4zSkJHb4y4qZjaYySEONCDA_4 This is the mask tutorial I uses only I make ties instead.