I've gotta stop doing this...

Disappearing that is...

You wouldn't know it, but I have started a number of posts in the last two months (in fact, this post was begun a couple of weeks ago), but I just couldn't bring myself to finish typing and hit publish.

Today I decided I just need to DO IT! and hope this post gets me over a what's been feeling like a very challenging autumn.

In the early weeks after my hand surgery, there didn't seem to be much to write about - except for the after-surgery pain, and I had no interest in writing about that.  Especially then.  And when occupational therapy started (about 3 1/2 weeks post surgery) suddenly I found myself both deliriously happy to be moving my painful stiff hand, and at the same time worried that therapy was starting late and going slowly.  From the start, though, my OTist has told me I'm doing great, and I can say that now that I'm 2 1/2 months post surgery, I do see the progress.   

Even so, I am daily tempted to worry because the progress is soooo slow. 

It just is.  It's not just me feeling that it is.  I'm assured every week that healing from this surgery is a long road, so I keep telling myself to not worry; all will fine in another 3 months or so.  That's what they keep telling me.

One YouTuber who's had CMC Arthroplasty surgery calls it brutal. Before my surgery I thought she was surely exaggerating, but now I get it.  The pain is tough in the early days after surgery - mostly due to doctors being fearful of giving out too much narcotic pain medicine, which just makes me angry if I can be completely honest.  And then in the early weeks after surgery the slow slog through therapy begins (mostly done at home, alone) and it becomes its own kind of brutal. Every new stretch, or squeeze, or push promises new pain - for a week or so until the hand gets used to that movement and sore muscles and tendons heal over and over again, it seems. 

Fortunately, most of that pain is behind me.   At this point, the main discomfort I feel is some residual stiffness due to there still being a bit of swelling, and there remains nerve pain from the surgery.  The nerve pain can take me by surprise and it's rough when it strikes, but I am told this is normal, and should heal over time.

So... I will not sugar coat it.  While I don't want to discourage anyone from considering this surgery, it should not be entered into lightly.  I hope, some months from now I can tell you it was worth it, but I only know right now that it's been a slog.  That said, I hang onto daydreams of holding needlework in this hand, and stitching with the other.  I imagine playing the piano, and even picking up a guitar (though I can't quite fathom my left thumb ever being strong enough to brace against the back of a guitar neck again).  I promise, though, if it does get strong enough I'll shout it from the roof top - of this blog, anyway.  

I can fix my hair finally.  Remember I mentioned early on I got a perm a couple weeks before surgery?  I thought it would be a great wash and wear hair style.  It was not.  For two months, I had to labor one-handed, applying product, and slowly diffusing my hair to partial dryness so I could look like a curly poodle instead of a frizzy bichon.  I think it was two weeks ago I found my hand was strong enough to grasp my hot rollers.  I now have my smooth hair back - and the perm provides some nice body.  The perm is finally, paying off for me.  

Let me be clear...  I love curly hair.  Especially others' curly hair.  Hub and sons have curly hair and it's amazing.  I might have enjoyed learning how to work with mine if I hadn't given myself curly hair two weeks before becoming one-handed. It was a silly lesson to have to learn, but I've learned it's better to work with what is familiar in such a situation rather than think two weeks before a major challenge is a good time to introduce something new. 

Okay... enough about my hand.   And my hair.   Even though my hair has been a thing...

If anyone is actually reading this, I really don't deserve you.  But thank you, if you're here. Not only did I not have it in me to be active on my own blog, I found I had little to give when visiting others' blogs. I tried for a week or two, and then fizzled.  Soon it became impossible to keep up, let alone catch up.  Who knew having two surgeries in 3 1/2 months' time could suck so much inner drive out of a person.  I sure didn't.

And then there was Covid.  Yep...  the year just wouldn't have been complete if I didn't catch Covid.  And boy - has it kicked my keister!  I caught it a little over a week ago when helping a single girlfriend who was so sick she had to go the ER.  She was severely dehydrated and thought maybe she had the flu.  It didn't matter to me what she had, she needed help, and I was glad to be there for her.  I know it probably sounds ridiculous, but when the doctor came into her little room where we had been sharing air space for a couple of hours to tell her the results of her test, I was not expecting to hear she had Covid.  I know...  What rock have I been living under?!?

Ah well...  I've been saying for the last year, we all just need to suck it up and expect to take our turn with it, so it appeared my turn had finally come.  

A little segue...  After consulting with my doctor last spring I told her I was inclined to take a pass on the Covid boosters.  Things had gotten better, I didn't have any serious health concerns, and the number of infections were way down back then.  The word was Omicron wasn't as bad as previous variants.  Really hadn't Covid stopped being something we needed to worry so much about?  Well, somehow it was suddenly November (the week of Thanksgiving, no less) and I evidently didn't notice that people were getting sick again.  

That is, until hubs went to every pharmacy in town (I can't remember when - maybe Monday?) to buy me some cough medicine with alcohol in it and the shelves were bare.  It seems EVERYone is getting sick again.  He brought home a number of offerings, but none promised to put me to sleep and out of my miserable congested, coughing state.

After three nights of struggling to sleep, I searched the house and discovered a several year's old (expired by over a year) bottle of overnight cold and flu medicine laced with 10% alcohol.  I swigged a shot down and smiled as my innards warmed, imagining the sleep I'd soon be enjoying.  It's becoming my nightly ritual.  I'm smiling just thinking about it now.

It's been a slow climb out of the congestion and coughing.  And the fatigue renders me pretty useless still - now 5 days in.  On Monday I had a virtual appointment with my doctor and while she prescribed Paxlovid (at my request) she did tell me for as many days as I'd been sick already, the unpleasant side effects of the Pax might not be worth it since I'd likely be better before I was finished with the 5-day regimen.  I thought on it, and I decided to forgo it, and have continued to slog through with my cough medicine and maximum strength generic Mucinex, and figure sooner or later I'll emerge - singing the high notes again.  Well, the alto notes, anyway...

BTW, one of the reasons I even brought up the Covid shots, and me not getting boosted is because my dear hubs (after getting his 3rd, 4th & 5th? jabs) had been asking me if I was going to get mine.  "Nah", I said.  I didn't think it was necessary.  

The chances of getting seriously sick are pretty slim I thought.

Even when my friend looked at me sadly and said how sorry she was that I was now exposed to Covid, I smiled and said, "It was going to happen sooner or later.  I've made peace with it."

So cavalier was I.

Okay...  so I'm likely going to make a full recovery, but the real story here is Hubs has been basically symptom free while I've been hacking up a lung for the last 5 days.  He had a bit of a scratchy throat a day or two after I came down sicker than a dog, but now he tells me he feels fine.  I'll be sure to update if he comes down sick, but dang!  If his boosters are what has made his airways like teflon, I'm thinking the credit most likely goes to the shots.

We'll never know for sure.  Maybe he just has some super power resistance to Covid (doubtful), or maybe he just hasn't walked through any virus ladened mists I've left behind (not likely), or maybe it's the N95 mask he wears when he enters a room I'm occupying.  I don't know.  I just wish I'd gotten boosted this fall.  I wish I could have potentially experienced feeling like I have super powers too.  

To be clear (again - because I really like to be clear) I'm not into telling others what they should do.  This isn't meant to be an endorsement of these "vaccines".  I don't care if people get vaccinated or not - against anything, really.  I'm as against mandatory Covid shots as I ever was.  I'm just relating our anecdotal experience.

This post has gone on way too long.  Be thankful I'm not going to bore you with all that's gone on since I was last here.  So much has happened this fall, that I've already forgotten most of it.  It has been a ride, though.  And I'm glad the roller coaster of 2022 is going to be shutting down soon.

I'm so worn out by this year that I think after this post, I may just continue my blogging break until the new year.  I might do a 2022 wrap-up.  Or I may just give 2022 quick good-bye kiss and kick it to the curb.

I have missed visiting with many of you on your blogs.  I'm going to start showing my face again, but I'm going to right here, right now, ask your forgiveness for not even trying to catch up with all I've missed.  I hope you all are having a better final quarter of 2022.  Or if you're struggling, I hope I can glean enough from what you're now sharing to be able to offer encouragement to you.

If you're still reading, you are really too kind.  If you leave me a comment and let me know you were here, I'll mention you in my prayers - giving thanks to my Heavenly Father for you and your encouragement.

Love and peace to you all.  

Life upended...

About mid-December, I thought I'd take a week or so off from blogging, thinking I'd be back soon, and then the weekend before Christmas my world upended.  

On Thursday the 17th, I received a call telling me my brother was being taken to a Hospice facility.  We have not had contact in a long time and I had no idea he was even sick before that dreadful moment. He informed me he was diagnosed with colon cancer in June, he went through treatment, but "it didn't go well".

A master of understatement, he was single, never married, lived alone, and he had listed me as his emergency contact.

A phone call that compelled me to want to be with him, also came with the knowledge that being with him would be impossible once he was admitted into the hospice facility - due to COVID restrictions.  And it was impossible for me to get there before that door literally closed to me.

I was able to have one short phone conversation with him an hour or so later, after he'd gotten settled, but he was quickly overcome by sleep from the medications he was on.  The next day, Friday, I drove to the facility in hopes that I could visit with him - though they would only allow a "patio visit" where I would be on the outside of the window to his room.  I was there, but he had no idea.  He would not wake up.  

He never woke up.

I do not believe the Hospice nurses thought death was that imminent, but he died the next day, Saturday the 19th. 

I hope to post his obituary here soon.  A sister is writing it; she has a beautiful way with words.  For now I just want to let my blogging friends know why I am not here.  Why I have not been visiting blogs in the last couple of weeks.  That I am deeply saddened by grief.  I'm better than I was just 2 days ago when I was still utterly crushed and devastated with grief and regret.  The grief, of course, ebbs and flows.

Someday soon I'm sure I'll come back to regular blogging - maybe after New Year's, and maybe I'll even have the desire for sharing about the happy or even mundane things of life again.   I miss the camaraderie of my blogging friends.  The catching up with one another.  Lives touching other lives around the world. I am so thankful for each of you. 

For now, your prayers and kind words are greatly appreciated.    And, if you like, leave a note telling me who you told "I love you" today.  

I just told a good friend who texted today to check on me.  💗

Waiting is hard...

Hubs and his knee are recovering after his knee replacement.

Hospital visits (here, anyway) come with lots of restrictions.  Yesterday I was allowed in the surgery waiting room while hubs was in surgery, but once he was done in recovery I only had about 5 minutes with him outside the elevator doors before they wisked him to his room for the night.  I won't see him again until I pick him up - possibly tomorrow?  I know it's the time we're in, but that just seems crazy to me.  Anyway...  I figure I put in a full day waiting from 9am 'till 6pm yesterday. And then I just drove home.  

A bit numb. 

Definitely relieved. 

Confused. 

Nothing normal about it, for sure.  And all the others waiting for their loved ones in surgery spent their day in the exact same shoes.  

Alone.  

Quiet.  

Masked.  

Isolated.

I'm trying to trust that masks help in some small way to minimize spread of COVID.  I hate the same masks for the isolation they create.

I ripped mine off as I stepped out of the hospital doors and breathed in gloriously fresh air.  It had been a beautiful day outside.  They should make outdoor waiting rooms...

An hour later I had picked up a supper and was finally home. I spent the rest of the evening texting friends and family and responding to questions, in between hubs and I calling each other numerous times until about 10pm.  I know I had the easy part, but it was a long day...

And now today, having nothing pressing for the first time in weeks, I feel like the weight of this last month has finally overcome me.  Raw emotion is just under the surface.  I can feel it.  If I could melt into a puddle I would.  I have a new appreciation for the expression, in fact.   I'd cry, but I'm afraid if I start,  I'll be weepy all day.  Best to just suck it up for now, I think.  Something to make me laugh sounds good.  But I see this morning the news is still bad.  People are still insane.  And somehow, in the craziness, the world goes on.

And a text from a friend reminds me...  I am truly fortunate.  A younger couple is separated by the wife being in the very same hospital Hub is in, but she has lung cancer.  She's suffering right now from heart failure and renal failure.  The husband is afraid he may not see his wife alive again.   The hospital does have end-of-live provisions for visitors, so I don't know if he had just gone home exhausted, afraid she might not make it 'till he got back there.  I don't know.  I only know their hearts are breaking.  And the heartbreak is more brutal due to this COVID time.  

My situation is easy in comparison.  Which is kind of silly to say - because there's no comparison.  A new knee is all good.  

One more night (at least) for Hub in the hospital.  And then I'm on duty again - picking him up, getting instructions, bringing him home.  I think being on duty will be easier than this waiting is.  While a new knee is all good, waiting is hard.  So... for the moment, I'm writing this and will visit a bit with my blogging friends.  

Mid-week I wrote Sunday's YOP end-of-year post.  That felt good to do.  And it's good to have it done.

And while there's plenty, still, I could find to do, I feel too distracted to manage anything much.  So I wait, knowing that this feeling will pass.  

I hope you have a good weekend!

Happy Handcrafts...

Life is getting back to some semblance of normal for a lot of people in our state, but Hubs and I are needing to continue to practice physical distancing from others pretty much at the same level we have over the last 2 1/2 months as we wait  for him to have knee surgery this summer.  We do NOT want him to get sick and have this surgery postponed, or him have to suffer illness on top of a knee that has grown so painful he can't sleep in bed for much of the night. He's walking with a cane, and hobbles, and frankly, doesn't walk very far.  Driving is difficult.  It's getting old and waiting is getting harder and harder.  Trying to hang onto the positive that he has a date, and not focus on the fact that it's still over a month away.   

It's a small complaint, really.  It's where we're at right now.  

Okay... onto happier things.  Handcrafts!  😊

I finished February's portion of the Linen and Threads' 2020 Mystery Stitch-A-Long:

It will probably be lost on anyone not doing this SAL, but I will be adding some motifs throughout the year in areas where they will fit in.  This is called "Friends and Family Sampler"  and each stitcher is encouraged to stitch in the initials of meaningful people in his/her life.  But that idea doesn't float my boat at all.   There are so many spaces for doing this, even if I could come up with that many initials, I don't even know if I'd be able to remember who all they belonged to when I was finished.  So...  inspired by another stitcher of this sampler, I'm looking for some motifs that I can add.  Some will fit in naturally, some will add a bit of wimsy (like animals and insects).  I have to stitch a bit more on this before I have a good feel where those things will fit, but be on the lookout for them.  Or maybe they won't appear until the Sampler itself is finished.   Unless, of course, I change my mind.  We all know I'm fully capable of doing that - and possibly even prone to it.  Anyway...  though the stitching is small and sometimes tedious, I am enjoying this greatly. 

And this week, I started a shawl/scarf project called Inner Light.   Because I'm using two hanks of yarn that are from different dye lots, I'm switching back and forth between the two every other row.  I know the two balls look the same, but one is darker than the other and it becomes apparent when working them together. 

 As usual, all you get is a peek at this stage.  😉 

I think the mottling effect is interesting in this yarn that is hand dyed in shades of bright pink yarn.  Worked up, it's not nearly as bright as I imagined it would be - which is a good thing.  It was really bright in the hank.  

And that's it!  Come back next week and see if I've made any progress!  

An uneventful, but fairly productive week...

So how are things in your corner of the world?  It's been a rather uneventful week here, but yesterday morning got us out to see the Indiana National Guard 122 Fighter Wing, AKA The Blacksnakes do a flyover to honor health care and other front-line workers during this time of COVID. 

Everyone was told to "social distance", but other than a written word telling people to not travel to watch the event, there was no attempt to stop people from doing just that.  So on a beautiful Saturday morning, a fair number of the population of our sleepy little town made their way to places where the flyover could be best observed.  And those who did were treated to a somber, and moving flyover.  That's it.  It wasn't exactly exciting.  There were no stunts.  Just four fighter jets flew over as we watched in silence.  As we soaked in the sun and the breeze.  Except for the social distancing, we might have forgotten all about COVID for a few minutes.  And then we got into our vehicles and drove home - us glad we'd gone and feeling thankful for our health care workers and all who are working during this time to make our world continue to turn; and proud of the pilots who flew those planes.

*****

At home, I've used this uneventful week to finish a couple of projects. 

First, the piece I'm most pleased with - my cross stitched Marsh Wren:

The pattern is part of the Crossed Wing Collection, from the "To Wrent for a Song" set.

It's stitched in DMC thread on Confederate Gray 18-count Aida Cloth. 

And for my amusement (and possibly yours) here's an information page about Marsh Wrens.

Listening to the video that is featured at this link, I'm now sure I've heard this bird chirping around the pond at the local wetland area where I sometimes walk.  

_____

And secondly, I finished my Sacred Space:

At this size (made with worsted weight yarn) it measures 62 inches across.  A bit bigger than lap-sized for an adult.  Or a child could use it for a napping blanket, or a TV watching blanket...  It's tempting to entertain completing it to full size, but that would make this thing large enough to cover our queen sized bed, and that is just totally unnecessary.  So, I'm calling it a day.  And will be storing it until its purpose is revealed to me.

*****

And this afternoon is being spent making some more COVID masks.  😣    That's what I'm calling them.  I have a feeling once COVID is passed, or vaccinated out of existance, we'll not be sporting face masks anymore so yes...  I think referring to them as COVID masks is exactly correct.  Anyway... I was called upon to help procure some masks for some extended family members who still did not have any, and rather than spend my time searching out masks online that I can't tell whether or not they'll fit, because of who these are for I decided to just make some that I'm pretty sure will. 

I cut out the fabric yesterday, so hopefully that will make the task of sewing them up a little less tiring. Though after making just one, I took a break to post this.  Have I said before I dislike making masks?

I did decide this time to cut out more mask pieces than I think I'll sew together for now, and I will store them for the future. That doesn't mean I'll want to make them in the future.  It just means that part will be done if I feel compelled to again.  The word that I'm sending out with these is that my sewing room is closed, but time will tell if I can hold to that.

Please no advice to just say no.  I wasn't asked to make them this time. I offered because sometimes you just have to do a thing you don't want to do 'cuz you'll feel worse if you don't.  It's not guilt.  It was simply the right thing to do.  This time.

I'm honestly not sure why I dislike making these as much as I do.  I only know I do.  For my immediate family, I don't feel that way.  But beyond that, I pretty much despise the whole business.  I wish I didn't.  Hubs wishes I didn't (and that certainly doesn't help my disposition about it all).  But I do.  No sense pretending I feel differently.  And I figure if anyone reading this feels the same way, they'll appreciate my honesty. 'Nuff said.

And on that happy note, let me wish you a good week ahead, everyone.  Here it looks like we'll have days of sun and temps in the 60's all week.  Actually, those temps may last until the middle of May.  It's my perfect weather!  😊

A good week...

It's been a good week.  I'm concluding that either I'm getting used to this stay at home business, or the good news is starting to outweigh the bad.  I'm thinking both are true.

Monday, I got started on my second little bird cross stitch.  This is going to be a Marsh Wren:

There's a fair amount of back stitching to do (on the bird) and some more leaves to stitch, so I'm guessing I'm about half done at this point.  I'm really enjoying this little bird.

And then...  after a few days stitching the wren, I decided to switch things up and pull out my Sacred Space blanket again and see if I couldn't complete another section.   Remember this?

Well, I finally set myself to the task of finishing Section 5 (out of 9), but after hours of working on this, I still couldn't manage to finish this section - it takes such a long time to go all the way around this thing now.  But here's a little glimpse of what I worked on this week: 

 So close, and yet so far...

I'm starting to conclude some things about this project.  In a ZOOM meeting with fellow YOPers a week ago, I commented that I like to make blankets with worsted weight yarn (and I do), but I am reminded that highly texturized blankets get awfully heavy when made with worsted weight yarn.  So...  while I reserve the right to change my mind, I'm thinking that once I finish this section (which only has another round to go) I may be calling this blanket finished.  Also, I'm pretty sure I'll be finishing up the last of the black yarn I have for this project and not buying more yarn  sounds like a good idea.  So... hopefully by next weekend, I'll have this finished and there will be a dry day when I can lay it out on the grass and hang myself out of an upstairs window to take a picture of what is starting to feel like a beast of a blanket.

And that's it on the crafty front.  On a personal note, I'm happy to say I've finally gotten my second shingles vaccine - which was becoming very difficult during this lock-down.  After only one day of being laid low by the vaccine's side effects, I'm a happy camper - so relieved to have that task finished!  And that that is worthy of even talking about here is, I guess, a little peek into how one more thing we take for granted is made different by something like a pandemic and a social-distancing lock-down.

I hope things are going okay in your corner of the world.  It's the most beautiful spring here and it seems many are saying similar things elsewhere.   Is it a lack of pollution that has come with less industry and traffic over the last month?  Is it simply that we have more time on our hands to observe how beautiful are the blossoms, and sweet are the birds' songs?  I don't know the reason, but I'm trying to remain aware and grateful for these beautiful days - even rainy days, like today, are lovely this spring.

What week of the lock-down is this?

It seems like it was a busy week last, but looking back I think it's just an illusion because we took the opportunity twice to leave our home and interacted with other human beings.  Oh, how this lock-down is affecting my perspective.

The first outing was to deliver some birthday gifts to oldest son on Tuesday.  He and his youngest brother share an apartment less than a half-hour away.  There was no hugging, or even much conversation - it was too cold and blustery to stand outside where we could keep a respectable distance.  Just a masked hand-off of a bag full of goodies  (including several masks I had made him and his brother).  And a picture snapped to commemorate the moment.

It felt very good to make in-person contact. 

And Thursday was the last time (at least for now) we'll be delivering meals to the COVID unit at our local hospital.  It has felt so good to do this and while I will miss doing it, I'm glad that so many others want to join in that the schedule is filled through most of May.  

I was also very glad this week to be able to talk with the head nurse - in person.  It had been a hard week in terms of patient illness and loss, but she had so much good to say about the staff.  And, to date, none of them have come down sick.  She was really happy about that, but her heavy heart was evident even through the mask she wore.   This delivering restaurant meals is such a small thing on an individual scale for any of us who are able to do it, but I hope it buoys the nurses and hospital staff in the COVID unit to know they're being thought of and prayed for.

And on a crafty note, with mask-making (for now) behind me, I cleaned up my craft room, packed away my mask-making supplies, and settled in to cross stitch on my Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher.   And Saturday evening I finished it!  Yay!

Crossed Winged Collection has an amazing selection of beautiful bird designs.

Just for fun (and mostly for my future reference), here are some pictures of what Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers look like in real life.

And clicking on any of the files on this page gives an idea of what this little bird sounds like.  

Hopefully, this week I'll get started on a second cross stitch pattern from the same designers - this time, a little Marsh Wren.  

Picture source:  http://www.nebraskabirdlibrary.org/passeriformes/troglodytidae/marsh-wren/

And lastly... here's a pic of middle son wearing the hot pink mask I made him.    I knew he wouldn't disappoint 😉:

I'm pretty sure there's a handsome smile under there.

And that, dear reader, is all she wrote!

More masks...

First of all, I'd like to say I hope you have a happy and blessed Easter - wherever you are.  And I hope you are safe and well.  

It's been a busy week.  After seeing the masks I made last week (hubs posted pictures to his FB page) one of my sisters asked me if I would make her one.  How could I refuse?    I broke out some pretty bird-print fabric and made her two! 

As I finished them up, I started contemplating making a few more for us, and thought about asking my sons if they'd each like a mask - figuring I'd probably have to talk them into the idea.

But then, on Thursday, middle son texted us a picture of a surgical mask.  His short message said they were to start wearing masks at work.  Every employee was given one, and was told it needed to last them for a week. 😧   

Thinking that just wouldn't do, I offered to make him some masks pronto - to which he replied with a hearty, "Sure!"

Still not having any "manly" fabric, I decided to dye a twin-size sheet I found early last week - a sheet we don't even have a twin bed for anymore.  

I had black, and blue liquid Rit Dye, so I figured I'd experiment a bit by combining them in different measures.  I tried some mottling (not terribly successful) and even a little tie dying.   I got a few nice shades of gray and blue from my efforts.  And I even decided to dye a pair of faded jeans while I was at it.  👍

I actually found a somewhat simpler, but same end-result pattern to make the Olson Mask this time around (and it comes in different sizes!).  Here's the link for anyone who might be interested.  

I cut out the mask pieces and started making them assembly-line style:

Not knowing how often son does laundry, I ended up making him six masks:

My plan was to make him five to get him through a work week, but he asked if I could make a pink one.  I told him I didn't have any pink fabric (which was true), but then I asked a friend if she happened to have some and she had this small piece of gorgeous hot pink in her stash.  I wish I could see his look of surprise, and hear him laugh when he opens up the box and sees a work-week's worth of masks and a hot pink one.  😄

Not knowing if son would like elastic at the ears, and how much elastic to give him, I made several different styles of fastening these on so he can decide what's best for him.

I thought the idea below pretty genius when I found it online.  The idea here is you put your head through the loop part and it sits on the back of the head, then the mask is put up against your face, and the loose ends are tied behind the neck:  

I tried it myself and it holds well.   I used a soft leather strip I had in my jewelry making supplies.  These masks have been a real exercise in using what I have!

And next up:  While I didn't get a separate picture showing the ear holders (below), I came across the idea of making "elastic" by taking a 1-inch strip of t-shirt fabric, and then pulling it taut so it curls up on itself.  You cut the strips whatever length you need to loop around the ears, feed the strip through the side casing, tie a tight knot, then hide the knot in the casing if you want.  These are super soft on the ears:

I made extra strips so he can replace them on the masks if he wants to.

And lastly, since he wears safety goggles at work, he asked for a wire across the top so he could mold it to his face.  I used this wire I found in my jewelry-making supplies:

I put a slightly softer wire (I'm guessing 22-gauge) in mine and hub's masks and they've come through the laundry just fine a couple of times, so I'm hoping this 20-gauge wire works well for son.

And that is how I spent a few days this past week.  I'm going to finish up a couple more for hubs and myself, and a few for another son who's interested in having something if/when he needs to run errands.  He's thinking he probably won't wear a mask to work, but we'll see how long he has a choice in the matter...

And then, I think I'm done mask-making for a while.  My hat is off to so many of you who've made masks for donating.  While I've been happy to make these for my family, I've found it exhausting to spend time bent over cutting out fabric pieces and then bent forward at the sewing machine for the length of the time it took to make these.  It probably doesn't help my sense of exhaustion that I spent time dying fabric, too.   As soon as I finish up the handful of masks sitting at my sewing machine still, I'm ready to reclaim my craft room for some peaceful and stress-free crocheting, knitting and/or cross stitching for a while.

~~~~~

And one last very happy note:   Yesterday morning, five of us YOPers met on Zoom for the first time.  How fun to hear voices of women I've only enjoyed through their written words up 'till now.  I hope to join in future Zoom meet-ups with any and all YOPers who can make it.  Thank you, Maria for setting it up!   It was so fun to meet up with you, Marsha, Liz, Mary-Anne, and Maria!  Maria even has a screen shot of all of us at the link that is her name! 

Have a safe and happy week, everyone!

Making masks...

I'm finally making masks.  I don't know what took me so long, but with the infection rate rising dramatically in our area, I, for one, was happy to hear the CDC finally recommend everyone wear a face mask. I suspected we should have been wearing them for the last month, but as much as I hate to admit it, I simply wasn't motivated to make them before now.  It was some form of denial, I suppose.

But knowing we had to run an errand today, I got busy last night and made three (2 for hubs, and 1 for me):

I have a few pieces of girly fabric that suit me just fine, but nothing really masculine for hubs, so I cut up a striped cotton shirt that was in the donation pile.  I got two masks from the back of the man's shirt, and I imagine I can come up with one or two more with the front and sleeves.    

I used a pattern for an Olsen Mask (and benefited from the video at this link).   Video is also below:

And here's what it looks like on me:

Adding a disclaimer:  These masks are for personal use.  I've included information below about the details of these masks I've made that are comfortable for us.  Your sensitivities, or sensibilities may vary.  

I put a 20-gauge wire in the top (and machine-basted it in) so I could shape it on my face - otherwise, breathing with this on steams up my glasses big time.   I'm doubtful it will come through the wash with the wire still usable, but I'm going to try it and see.  The next masks I make, I'm going to take more care to create a neat casing along the top so that a wire can be slipped in and out.  The  really cool thing is, this tutorial suggests using pony tail holders for the ear pieces.  Genius!   I wonder if they would work equally well on the rectangular masks...  I think I will try that pattern, too, and see.   I found four elastic bands in a bathroom drawer, but when we were on our errand today I stopped in at the Dollar Tree and picked up a bunch more.  Thin ones work best, I believe, and have to be more comfortable than thicker elastic.

BTW, here's a tip (I found online in a video of a medical person explaining how to wear various masks) -- to keep from steaming up your glasses while wearing a mask like this:  Fold a tissue several times (lengthwise, until it's about an inch wide) and lay it along the top, but behind the mask.  I did this, and with the wire, the tissue wasn't even visible.  And it worked.  I haven't road tested it - by shopping or moving around a lot, but just wearing it around the house for a while, it seemed to stay in place.  I'm sure the wire helps.  

~~~~~

Back to the errand we ran earlier today...  I'm really glad to share that our little church (along with some other churches in our small town) are delivering meals to the COVID Response Team at our local hospital.  I signed hubs and I up for today (and a few times in the future).   It's an opportunity  to support some local restaurants and give encouragement to those medical personnel who are working so tirelessly and bravely.  In a time of fear, loss, exhaustion and trauma, it felt good to do something tangible.  

~~~~~

On a yarny note...  I am half-amazed, half-embarrassed to show my dishcloth knitting for the month of March, but here it is!

I'd call this stress knitting, but honestly, I haven't exactly felt stressed.  Or worried.  Of course, I haven't been struck with sickness, so... easy for me to say.

I've asked myself so many times, "What am I feeling?"

Grieved?  

Oh yes.  

Overwhelmed?  

Sometimes - yes.  I assume we all have had moments where we are overwhelmed by the loss and pain and trauma many are experiencing - if we are not experiencing these things ourselves.  

To be honest, I don't think a day goes by - probably not an hour goes by without realizing at some point that I am distracted.   

Yeah, I think it's fair to say my dishcloths at the moment have been "distracted knitting".  When I couldn't focus on anything more complicated than knit and purl, back and forth, row after row.  When sleep hasn't come until 3 am, or when words for cohesive prayers have been elusive, my hands kept busy.  

I pray you are kept safe and well in this time of uncertainty.

~~~~~

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

                                  Romans 8:26-27 New International Version