Masks keep happening here. To date, I’ve made 400. I have another big batch started though so I expect that number to climb to at least 500. Little by little they have been happening. Friday I outdid myself and hit a new daily record of making 40 in one day. That is sewing from sunup to past sundown. It’s okay. I was trying to finish an order. I’ll keep making them as long as there is a need.
Saturday I told myself NO MASK SEWING…I needed a break. I’ve been wanting to get caught up on the sew along and mysteries. Karl has been campaigning for me to not be quite so serious of a mask maker. He’s worried I’m getting burnt out so…I went with his suggest and mostly took Saturday off from mask making.
Instead I only sewed masks as leaders and enders…Can you believe I still got 7 masks completely sewn? Here’s a mask going into the machine as I’m catching up on the Quilted Twins Mystery.
I was behind on this…I only had clue #1 done. I got clue #2 together fairly quickly.
Then went on to clue #3. Technically I didn’t need to do that one right away but as long as the Civil War prints were out, I figured I’d finish all of the clues for this mystery. I cut the other pieces that are needed too but put them aside before I snapped the picture.
It’s been awhile since I’ve sewn a quilt with my Civil War fabrics and am having a really good time with them. I forgot how much I love them.
I’ve also been working on the Temecula Quilt Company sew along. Here’s how that is going….I am actually current with the amount of blocks. I took this picture on Saturday and did make the block on Sunday too so I’m current.
The directions don’t say for the blocks to all be in red. That just happened. Mine are actually a lot scrappier than the directions suggest too. I’ll see once the finish is revealed to see if I stick with the blue color in the blocks.
The blocks finish at 3 1/2″. They are cute and fun. Again, I dug into my Civil War prints. I have this huge bag of bonus triangle and I’ve been using them every time the pattern calls for half square triangles. I just square up however many I need. I haven’t been paying attention to matching the colors of the background.
It is called the Stay at Home Sampler. You can get directions for the block each day if you follow Temecula Quilt Company on Instagram or Facebook. I’ve been using Facebook.
The other quilt along I’ve wanted to do is the one Bonnie Hunter is hosting on her blog Quiltville. I had hoped to get caught up as the new directions come out today but alas. It didn’t happen. I ended up taking quite a bit time to catch up on writing blog posts and I decided it was Easter and totally okay for me to put my feet up and cross stitch.
I did get clue #1 done though and did get quite a bit clue #2 cut out. I’ll do that as a leader and ender while I sew masks today. Hopefully I’ll get a little of it done and can get caught up with clue #2 and the new clue this week. I feel so much better that I at least started.
I debated some on what colors and what fabric to use. What decided it was that I opened my scrap bins to see what I had the most of the this was on top. I know it’s the colors of the mystery- minus the green but I don’t care. I just wanted to get sewing immediately and using my scrap users was going to accomplish that the most quickly. I did cut into some neutrals but other than that, this much was all from my scrap users system.
I’m guessing this one be a gift at some point so I thought batiks might be good too. So far, I’m happy with it.
My supervisor Rosie was on duty. The second a scrap bin is opened, she jumps right in. She has a bed in the sewing room but still the scrap bin is her favorite.  
She continues to improve all the time. When Karl ventured out to get our groceries on Saturday I had him stop at Wal-Mart and get her some more dog chew toys for the sewing room. Ruby didn’t really like toys so she had very few…Rosie loves them so she didn’t have enough. She was really happy to see new toys and I was real happy she was occupied.
I’ve learned to keep this on my kitchen table. It’s masks that need to be pinned for pleats. I pin while supper is cooking or while one of the kids calls on the phone.  Pinning is my least favorite part so if I pin while something else is happening, it’s a little less taxing.
After I get this next order done, I’m slowing down….unless of course someone calls and lets me know they need some.
Kelli has been making masks like crazy too….
She made a bunch that are in Iowa Hawkeye fabric and they’ve been super popular. I think she’s closing on having made 200.
Kayla was a mask maker too. She sewed for friends and Spencer’s family.
A LOT of sewing has happened lately here…just not the super fun kind…that’s okay though. Squeezing in a few quilt alongs along the way has made the mask making not quite so monotonous. Thanks so much to all of the designers who are busy entertaining us.
Love your civil fabrics for the Temecula sew a long. Especially the scrappiness and the colors. Bless you for your tender heart and stepping up to make so many masks for those who need them.
I’m SEW glad that you took time to catch up on your Mysteries and Alongs. Can’t believe you’ve managed to make 400 masks!! That’s incredible, Jo.
Love the red blocks. That’s a lot of masks. I live in S.C. , no longer under tornado watch.
Check out this video on how to pleat masks really quickly using a template/jig.
I’m going guess that Ruby wasn’t feeling well for quite some time before her health problem was figured out. You say her behavior has improved and to me, she looks better. Anyway, that’s my 2 cents, have a good one!
I made just over 500 masks in a 6 days span and I am burnt out! I’m taking a break myself to work on some clothes for my kids.
IMPRESSIVE Melanie. Hats off to you!!
You are amazing — working on 3 quilts while making masks. I have always been a slow sewer and keeping up with your blogs is a real eye opener. There are short videos on YouTube for using a dinner fork to make pleats and since you do them while making dinner, you might find it to be fun.
I just started the Bonnie Hunter quilt along, guess I’m also slow to the game. I made quite a few mask for family that I shipped to numerous places and now some of my neighbors have asked for them, many are still reporting to work and feeling vulnerable. We’ve had quite a rain storm here in TN over Easter and lots of branches down and some yard work will happen today.
My daughter was born when we lived in Iowa and is a Hawkeye fan (now living in NC). She needs a Hawkeye mask! How can I get one of Kelli’s mask? Thank you for making so many masks, to help so many people!
I was burned out after making masks for family and mailing them out. Haven’t been back to sewing since but I’m about to go downstairs to either sew or cut some scraps. I had to do some clean up first. I’ve been printing the Bonnie Hunter quilt along but haven’t started yet. That tutorial of the jig is a great idea but I also saw one on tv that had a folded cardboard template and then you put the sewn mask on it and iron it. Then you have the folds ironed in so you know where to sew.
You are the bomb for making that many masks!! And you’re still finding time for other things, which is fantastic. You definitely need a break from doing one thing.
Ruby is so sweet. I’m glad she is doing better.