What's Under Your Needle? Part 5 - Makers Making Masks
April 7, 2020
We are so fortunate to live in a community where we have local makers making masks! There are many Facebook groups across the country dedicated to masks, including some for the Tampa Bay area. There’s even a group that’s all about the hottest commodity out there right now. No, not toilet paper, ELASTIC! In fact, someone recently told me, “Elastic is the new toilet paper.” Boy is she right.
Masks for the Special People in Our Lives
Our friend Annette Fly has been making masks for the special people in her life (including her pregnant daughter.) She has experimented with styles and techniques to really refine her process. She loves to use her Baby Lock Ovation serger to make ties (because, you know, no elastic.) If you have the Baby Lock Triumph or Accolade (or the older models: Evolve, Evolution, Ovation,) break out your Bias Binder Attachment. There are two sizes and Annette tells us they both work well. Here she demonstrates how quickly it works. What a time saver!
Masks for Healthcare Workers
Sarah Boyd has been working with doctors to make masks for the Tampa/Orlando areas. She was one of the first people to reach out to us about the mask initiative. Together they designed exactly what the doctors needed, which includes a pocket and wire over the nose. You can see Sarah’s tutorial on her blog. Sarah’s family and friends are helping too!
Masks for Baycare and the VA
Connie Murphy has been making masks for nurses in the Baycare system and the VA. Connie has been sewing for weeks, using mostly our exclusive Tampa Bay Fabric. She is using every scrap, even piecing together ties to maximize every last bit of fabric. Connie was excited to order an electric rotary cutter to cut the bias strips. “It worked great until I cut through the cord,” Connie told us this weekend. Oops! Fortunately she cut two yards worth of strips before that happened.
Connie Murphy has been making masks for nurses in the Baycare system and the VA. Connie has been sewing for weeks, using mostly our exclusive Tampa Bay Fabric. She is using every scrap, even piecing together ties to maximize every last bit of fabric. Connie was excited to order an electric rotary cutter to cut the bias strips. “It worked great until I cut through the cord,” Connie told us this weekend. Oops! Fortunately she cut two yards worth of strips before that happened.
The nurses who have received the masks are very grateful, and Connie’s husband is even helping.
Helping Those in Need
Our friend Carmen DePalma is another of our makers making masks. She’s making both adult size and child size, and helping those who need them. She has gone through a lot of fabric, and both her BERNINA 770 and Baby Lock serger ar handling it all with ease! Well, except when her serger decided to add some excitement to her day. We’re not sure exactly how Carmen did that to the needle, but we’re very impressed!
Our friend Carmen DePalma is another of our makers making masks. She’s making both adult size and child size, and helping those who need them. She has gone through a lot of fabric, and both her BERNINA 770 and Baby Lock serger ar handling it all with ease! Well, except when her serger decided to add some excitement to her day. We’re not sure exactly how Carmen did that to the needle, but we’re very impressed!
Making Time
Sarah Goralewicz is a school media specialist by day, helping teachers and reading stories to her students, and a seamstress at night. Between finishing unfinished projects, doing Story Time, and designing a new quilt, she found time to help the community with masks. She used Sarah Boyd’s tutorial and used fabric from her stash. She sure gives her BERNINA 770 QE Tula Pink Special Edition a workout!
Sarah Goralewicz is a school media specialist by day, helping teachers and reading stories to her students, and a seamstress at night. Between finishing unfinished projects, doing Story Time, and designing a new quilt, she found time to help the community with masks. She used Sarah Boyd’s tutorial and used fabric from her stash. She sure gives her BERNINA 770 QE Tula Pink Special Edition a workout!
We know there are many others in our community making masks for various groups. Many have purchased fabric and thread from us! While we don’t have elastic or bias strips, we do have fabric. Keep an eye on our online store, as we’re adding new products daily.
We love hearing from our wonderful sewing community! We’ll have another edition of What’s Under Your Needle in a few days.
Until then, did you know we’re all over social media? You can find us on Facebook and Instagram as well as Pinterest. We would love for you to follow along!
Tags: community makers, making masks, masks tampa bay
Previous: What’s Under Your Needle? Part 4 – New Projects and More!
Next: What’s Under Your Needle? Part 6 – Quilting & Embroidery
We love hearing from our wonderful sewing community! We’ll have another edition of What’s Under Your Needle in a few days.
Until then, did you know we’re all over social media? You can find us on Facebook and Instagram as well as Pinterest. We would love for you to follow along!
Tags: community makers, making masks, masks tampa bay
Previous: What’s Under Your Needle? Part 4 – New Projects and More!
Next: What’s Under Your Needle? Part 6 – Quilting & Embroidery