We had our April showers this week, and while the verse says that the flowers aren’t supposed to show up until May, Nancy of Patchwork Breeze, our Queen Bee for the Gridsters this month, asked us to make these giant blooms for her block…so I made her two, just because at this time of Being Shut In, why not? It’s the Totally Tulips Quilt from Missouri Star.
I also am attracted to happy, yellow posts, and this one from Karolina fit the bill. She brings string-pieced blocks to a new level with her photo styling.
More Instagram memes, which also remind me to be grateful that I’m esconced in a house with a sewing room with all that I need to sew.
I chose to put a little dart at the nose and chin of my accordian mask with ties. I had run out of elastic when I made this batch. Then the universe, and Elin, smiled on me, providing more elastic for more masks. While I am choosing to serve our country during this critical time by making a few masks, I think there are very many ways to serve. Maybe your best way is to stay home, or take care of your children, or bring a neighbor some groceries, or put something in the mailbox for your mailman (I usually put treats, but yesterday I left a mask), or treat the people with who you live with a little more patience, or call up someone who is alone and have a chat. We can all do our part.
Somewhere in this mess of a house, or in my garage somewhere I have a whole box of black pipecleaners that could be used for shaping in a face mask. Can I find them? No, but I found a box of my grandmother’s large silver hairpins, given to me upon her death several years ago. Thank you, Grandma, for doing your part in donating wires for face masks!
I updated my Face Mask page, after getting the official names for masks. I found another version on the Washington Post website, so now you have your pick of what you can make — if you need to for your family/friends/health care workers. Our county put a “wear a mask” mandate out there at the beginning of the week, the neighboring county did it yesterday, and Los Angeles will adopt this as well. If you don’t have a mask made of batik, then good-quality quilting cotton will do, and in a pinch, a bandana.
This hit a little close to home.
Our church is inviting everyone to fast and pray with us — or just think on it, if you aren’t affiliated — this week on Good Friday. Our main ideas are “that the present pandemic may be controlled, caregivers protected, the economy strengthened, and life normalized.” I personally can’t do much for the caregivers, health workers, scientists who are scrambling to find us treatments and vaccines, but I can pray and fast that the suffering may end soon, and that those who are on the front lines, supported.
OccasionalPiece--Quilt! 
Your tulip blocks are great. Nancy will love them. You’re so good to be making masks. I haven’t gone anywhere to give away masks, even if I’d made them. Haven’t been to the grocery store for 21 days now. We are definitely hunkered down. Bible-reading, praying, sewing, exercise, and keeping tabs on family are pretty much all I do. Life is lived bare bones these days. Can’t believe that a quilt guild wanted me to sign a June or July contract to teach FMQ. How can anyone predict what our days will look like then?!
Your flowers look so cute. That is going to be a fun quilt. I got sidetracked with my sewing when our son requested 120 masks for their restaurant employees since LA has also started requiring them. I’m loving the craft passion pattern. It’s so nice to see people are maintaining a sense of humor with all the cute Covid jokes. I’m ready to get the world spinning again. Stay well.
That’s amazing that you found your Grandma’s hairpins. Mask making is getting serious for real now. Great memes! The advice for sailors is brilliant. I do feel like this time is partly an ongoing values clarification exercise.
Your tulip flowers are great, reminiscent of the Swedish Blooms quilt I made a few years ago. Who would have guessed those hairpins would be so useful. Did you know we call them bobby pins? Who knows why. Stay well, my friend.
I thought I was done with masks and had moved onto to surgical caps. Then my niece who works for Starbucks requested some masks. “I’m just a girl who can’t say no” comes to mind. 🙂
It’s nice to see your ‘regular’ sewing going on. The tulips blocks are lovely. After making masks for others it’s time I finally made a couple for my husband and I today. Then I just need to do some regular sewing for a touch of normal in my life and my mental health.
I have 17 masks to make today, and then I hope to move on, at least for awhile, to something fun and pretty. Love those flower blocks! Our azelea bush is in full bloom, and the roses are just about ready to open.
I must share the beautiful prayer posted at the end of this blog post from Tanya, a quiltmaker in Japan:
https://bytaniwa.blogspot.com/2020/04/important-things.html
I love that you used your grandmother’s hairpins for these masks! It’s like she is there with you, watching over your health. So sweet.