Face Masks, and more

Most of us love a pink juicy muddled cocktail and a little arugula pizza, throw in a bottle of good chardonnay and I say you’ve got a stellar stay at home trifecta. Last Saturday afternoon while out front doing more of this: 

a thin young man drove up and delivered. I told him we hadn’t ordered anything, and he asked ‘160’? I said ‘yes’, and he replied ‘maybe one of your sons called it in, I played lacrosse with both of them back in high school’. He dropped the goods at the front door, I thanked him kindly while we stood yards more than six feet away. My husband had in fact ordered a wine delivery, and that had come maybe twenty minutes before, the delivery guy also dropping goods at the front door while I stayed back, gardening in the yard. Both times I felt uneasy, mostly for them, they were bearing good things while putting their own personal health at risk, and I never had to go anywhere. 

Of course, I was elated with the ‘love me not’ cocktail, and of course it was from Danny, an ex-boyfriend of Sarah’s that has remained a tight family friend. He’s always doing that kind of thing, spontaneously thinking of others and spreading good will. He and his sister also own and operate a chic local cocktail bar with small plates, thus the ‘love me not’, the pizza, and the wine. I texted him my thanks, told him he brightened my day, and also asked about his drivers, and if they needed masks (the unease I felt about a former teammate of my sons, driving about town, while we stayed home). My sister Tracy in San Fran had started making masks the day before, and she and I had traded pattern resources, putting this whole mask thing more in my head. My dear friend had also forwarded me an article from the New York Times about how to make your own face masks, and she had asked me for five for her family. 

I’m a bit of a procrastinator at times, but this delivery kid got me going. I drank the cocktail, ate the pizza, and then drank the wine, and the next morning, Sunday, got up and started sewing. I didn’t have any fabric laying around the house, and the bed sheets as suggested just looked a little bleak, while my old draperies looked dated, and really uncomfortable. Hey, I’ll use some old clothes, we have plenty of those around here, way more than our share, and then I found dust bags! From shoes, and bags! Way too many of those as well, whatever, that was then. 

So, I’m now sewing, instead of landscaping, to fill hours upon hours. My masks are a little over the top, like me at times, that’s just how it is. I’m filling orders for friends and family, Danny and Savoy up first, Michelle and her family next, a couple with young kids in the burbs, my 80-year-old mom of course, one of Sarah’s friends out in Colorado that never leaves the house without one (hello Karson! Necessary worker- marijuana!), and a client friend and her husband down in Hilton Head Island. After that they will go to more family and friend requests, Sarah shared a little on social media. 

My sister and I think this is one of the better patterns out there, it has an optional nose wire you can insert (she does, I do not), it has an opening in the back where you can cut and insert a filter made out of a vacuum cleaner bag or a coffee filter for more protection, and it’s washable. 

If you too are interested in mask-making, visit The Crafty Quilter. Thank you, Julie, for your inspiration and great pattern. And while your sewing also support your local favorite bar by having some drinks delivered, thank you so very much Danny, love you all. 

Every day dress, sewing as fast as I can today, deliveries out tomorrow.