Calendar Poodle SAL

Sunday, March 29, 2020

💙💙💙

Hi friends! I have not been cross stitching. I have been sewing face masks for our son Jacob, the pediatric nurse at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. They have run out of masks!😮 😬 NOT GOOD FRIENDS! NOT GOOD AT ALL! I am sewing masks for his fellow nurses also and for my own family and extended family and friends and neighbors. Do you see why I am not cross stitching?!?!

I feel an intense burden in my heart to create these masks. I have been washing fabric, (See! My fabric stash is finally being put to an EXCELLENT use!!) working on cutting the pieces, preparing nose bars, and......waiting.....  😖 Elastic for the ear loops is the new TP!! It is NOT to be found! Brian and I DID find it online.Some people are charging SUPER INFLATED PRICES FOR IT!!☹️ It is coming tomorrow supposedly. I will be cranking these out. 😷

Many, many people are saying you can use pony tail elastics. I am not so sure. According to THIS Youtube video that I personally believe IS the best one out there. It makes the masks as good as the N95 masks. You CANNOT get better than that! You cannot! She checked with her legal team on it to be sure. I am trusting them for my Jacob folks. 😷
Also, the best thing to use between the two layers of cotton is Oly-fun. This fabric is the same fabric used for the fabric shopping bags. I cut up two of the fabric shopping bags we had to make some. I have several yards of  Oly-fun coming from Hobby Lobby. Waiting is not good in a time like this!!! But as is probably the case in your area, just like our state of Wisconsin, non-essential stores are shut down. So no craft stores are open. We must order online. I will get the masks  done of course. I just want them done and on our son! And the other nurses! And everyone!!😷



I created this chart because Mother Teresa has always been dear to me. She inspires me to try harder, to be better. I never saw her complain. She gave and gave and gave of herself. In this time of world crisis, we need to think of each other, pray for each other and love one another, even though we must "be apart".

My friends, it is my hope and prayer you all stay safe. It is best if you stay inside for now to accomplish this. I know some of you must work. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Keep clean. Know that I am praying for you. God bless you. 

“May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Thank you for stopping by today. Take good care of yourselves.

Sewing and praying,
Vickie



25 comments:

Stitchy Mc Floss said...

Your design is so lovely. Mother Theresa gave her all to shine His love into our dark world. She was such a blessing to so many. God Bless You for making the masks. How wonderful that you have a stash of fabric, for times just as this. Awesome. Praying for Jacob and all the other medical people out there. Indeed, there are angels who walk among us. Blessings always sweet friend. :)

Stasi said...

Great you are making masks, Vickie but so sad you have to!!! I too have been making them for my niece's assisted living facility..makes me feel good to DO something!!! I hope Jacob and his fellow workers get supplied soon with the proper gear! Hang in there!

Carol said...

I am so sorry that Jacob's hospital has run out of mask--that is just so scary as that is such a necessary part of protecting our medical workers. I hope your elastic comes soon--I have read of people taking apart old fitted sheets to use the elastic in that, too. Glad you have the other supplies and that is a great tip on cutting up the shopping bags for the Oly-fun. I had never heard of that before. So hard to get what is needed right now, but I hope your orders arrive ASAP.

The wise words from Mother Teresa are ones we all need to heed these days--quit placing blame on what has happened--just do the best we can today and start making things better. A lovely chart you've designed--thank you! Take care now--keeping you and your family in my prayers ♥

marly said...

I think the non-woven fusible interfacing is comparable to the Oly in protection. I've seen some new videos using the thin elastic head bands ($1 store for a bunch) and huge rubber bands on them also. They are sewn full length one side to the other to go over the head and give those sore ears a break! Thanks for doing this Vickie!!

Julie said...

A wonderful help you are providing for those in need.
Take care xx

Barb said...

You are doing a good deed. I will keep all of you in my prayers. In fact, the whole world is in my prayers! We are like you, all the stores are closed no way to get craft things or even sewing supplies is to order online. We are well and I am very thankful for that.

MartinaM said...

I find it so sad and annoying that there are so many masks and protective clothing missing in the hospitals and care sections, and you just can't get any. The degree of caregivers who do all the work has to protect themselves. I don't like to think about what happens when they fail.
Let's pray that everything will be fine.
Stay healthy, Martina

Clare-Aimetu said...

The protective equipment is very much needed. There are stories of shortages
here in the UK but this virus has happened so quick and I think both manufacturing and then distribution was a huge task, hopefully once on top of supply and demand it will ease. In the meantime what a great thing you are doing, stay safe.

Marilyn said...

Yes, a lot of people are making masks, great idea.
Thanks for the link.
We are doing ok, it's not much of a change for us being retired, but sometimes need to go to the store.
Take care & have a good week!
Marilyn

Mary said...

Vickie, I hope the supplies you need for the masks come soon. My niece is a nurse in a Covid unit and they are reusing masks!!
Thank you for the Mother Theresa stitch. My uncle is a retired Priest living in a nursing home and I am going to stitch this for him, I know he will appreciate it. Stay well. Mary

Robin in Virginia said...

Vickie, I hope your supplies arrive so you can finish up the masks for Jacob and his fellow nurses. I continue to pray for all those individuals on the front lines. We all need to heed to the words from Mother Teresa during this time, but in reality all the time. I love the chart you created. Thank you for sharing!

Ann at Beadlework. said...

It's tough times Vickie and very strange too. Our workers don't have the necessary protection either - you'd think both your country and my country might have been better prepared for this. The only thing you can do is take each day as it comes and try to take pleasure in small things. Stay safe.

butterfly said...

Well done Vickie , stay safe big hugs to you and all.

Honeybee said...

Praying for Jacob and all his colleagues everywhere.

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

You are doing a wonderful thing making the masks they so desperately need. It seems ridiculous that the richest nations in the world refused to prepare properly for this.
One article I saw suggested using different fabrics for each side of the mask so the user can tell which is the outside. That seemed sensible to me.
I hope you all stay safe and well.

Barbara said...

Good luck making the masks. I truly feel for the nurses and doctors that don't have masks to protect themselves and others. I will add them to my prayer list to help protect them.

Varla Lee said...

Dear Vickie, thanks so much!! I love this little pattern.

The Knitting Cross Stitcher said...

Stay safe Vickie, you and all your loved ones.
Lesley x

Margaret said...

So glad you can make masks and help out. Be safe!

Mary's Thread said...

Good job making all those masks! You are so kind and thoughtful, and it is worth giving up your stitching time for something so important. You are following in St. Theresa's footsteps and taking to heart her message! :) God Bless You and your loved ones during this crisis! I hope especially your son stays well!

Ele said...

Good job with all those masks Vickie, take care

Follemente creativa said...

ciao, anche qui in Italia stiamo cucendo mascherine per il virus!!
Ciao Barbara

Sandy said...

Good luck to your son and thank you for making as many masks as you can to help others out. That's the most detailed video I've seen, and I watched about a dozen or so. I'm concerned though when I hear someone who's not a medical professional say it's a protective as an N95. I do think her design has to be safer than the cotton ones without nose clamps. People all over are making those with and without clamps, with and without a pocket for a filter. Some are wearing the cotton masks over their hospital masks to make the hospital mask last longer. Such difficult times. I can certainly see why you're not cross stitching, but using your time and talent to help others. Bravo! Keep up the good work. I hope you and yours stay well. I popped in from a mutual friends blog, it's always nice to meet new blog friends. LOVE the background on your blog.

Astrids dragon said...

How wonderful that you are able to make masks for Jacob and his coworkers! Thanks for sharing the videos. I pulled out some fabric and will attempt to make some for our family today. We now have to wear something while out shopping and the bandannas we have are ok, but hopefully these will be better.
Lovely chart and reminder of Mother Theresa.

Annie said...

I'm hoping that you, your son and the rest of your family stay safe. These are such scary times… Sending you lots of love <3