This was the week for making face masks. I’ll admit, somewhat guiltily, I’ve not been cranking out face masks like many fellow sewers have. I applaud them. Vigorously. In my defense, sewing is my stress relief, and in this time of uncertainty, I simply could not use my stress relief time doing something that reminded me of the very thing that was causing me stress. If you’ve never dealt with anxiety…real anxiety…the kind that actually causes your body to do weird things like make your face muscles all tense up for days at a time, your jaw to clench tight when you sleep causing massive jaw pain and headaches and the need for a dental appliance to keep everything from going all to heck in there, then please don’t judge me for trying to keep my stress level low so I can keep from taking medication I don’t want to take. (Perhaps you weren’t planning to judge, but I know how judgmental the internet world can be, thus my explanation.)

But, a few weeks ago, I did sew up several masks to put in our church’s outdoor pantry. The pantry is for folks who need supplies or food. This week I made up another 6 masks that I will drop off this weekend. I like to bag them individually so they stay clean.

I also made masks for our daughters. One daughter started work this week as a CNA at a local nursing home and needed a mask. Our other daughter had to venture out today for the first time in probably 8 weeks. Despite our Stay at Home order still remaining in place (will this ever end?!?!?!), she had to head downstate for hearing and vision screenings as part of the process to get into the police academy. These tests have been rescheduled at least 3 times. Next weekend she’ll have her fitness test…assuming it doesn’t get rescheduled. I assume our son will start back to work soon, so I made him a mask, too. He works part-time at a local coffee shop that had to cut minor employees who could not work alone, since they were only having one employee work at a time.

I also made masks for our oldest daughter’s boyfriend and his mom after learning that her boyfriend had been shopping in a ski mask! Yikes! That had to be a bit roasty-toasty!

Finally, I made a new pair of masks for my husband and I. We’ve been wearing masks with bats (because why not!) on them for the past month, and I thought it was time for a little change. Now we’ve got these super cool masks made from this super cool fabric that has viruses and bacteria in petri dishes on it. My fabric choices might hint at a disturbing sense of humor. But we all need a little laugh now and then. Gallows humor, anyone? (No, I am not cold and insensitive. I know how serious this illness can be. I choose, for my own sanity, to make the best of a bad situation.)

When not mask making, I made yet another baby blanket. I may have enough flannel left for 2 or 3 more.