Mask Making

I got word that I return to work tomorrow. This is good because Friday was the last day of my paid furlough, and this week's work from home options have been pretty measly. The Census is providing training sessions you can call into, but I had little success getting on. The conference calls will only accept 250 people, so they recommended that we get on early. I called, was ready to go, got about five minutes of the session, and was then disconnected. I couldn't get back in. Sigh. So when Mark Henscheid called me and asked if I was ready to return, I quickly and enthusiastically agreed. 

What this means, however, iw that I need some masks. I want to do my part to squash the curve, helping hospitals have enough ICU beds, so I will wear a mask. But I need to make some. I pulled out fabric, the elastic I've got on hand, and the sewing maching, downloaded a simple mask pattern from the CDC, and got to work.

An hour and a half later, I had three really pathetic masks, and a great deal of frustration. Sewing is not my thing. It all seems easy enough when I read through the instructions, but the execution leaves much to be desired. I cut, I sewed, and added elastic, but it wasn't right. I tried to make adjustments, only to have it be worse than the original. I was very frustrated. I did manage to get one acceptable mask from my efforts, and posted the following on Instagram.

"After a five week furlough, I'm back to work tomorrow. I've hardly gone anywhere in those five weeks, and we had some medical masks I've been wearing. I decided I needed to make a couple of masks I could wash and use again. I had fabric, I had an easy pattern, I even had elastic. What I don't have is any sewing skill. In three attempts, I have one usable mask. I'll try again tomorrow . . .after work. #notaseamstress #itlookssoeasy #othertalents"

My sweet friend, Rachel LaComb, left me a mask on her front porch, and I picked that up on the way to work. I did try again, and was able to make adjustments that worked. I put a couple of pleats in the sides, and rather than use elastic, I sewed bright ribbon onto the four corners, so I can tie them on, rather than loop the over my ears. I think it will work.