Thankful, grateful, blessed...

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope that everyone is having a lovely day filled with things they are thankful for.  Though Carey is working this holiday, and I am spending the day alone (so far), I am thankful and enjoying myself.  

I have spent the day at the sewing machine working on a donation quilt...and it is done and ready to deliver.  It's not like any I've done before.  When I was looking around for batting and backing in my sewing room, I stumbled on a large cut of blue fleece.  I thought about using it instead of batting...but then I thought, why not use it as backing without batting?  So I just sewed the pieced top to the fleece (right sides together), turned it right side out, and started quilting.  Since it is a lap quilt for a memory-care facility, I think the light weight will be good, and the fleece will not only be soft and cuddly, but will hopefully keep it from sliding off of the lap of its owner too easily.  

Hot off the sewing machine!  Looks rather summery in those colors against the arrangement of autumn leaves behind it, huh?

Wait, what's that down at the other end of the sofa?

Ahhh...that blends a little better.  This is the throw I made for the sofa a few years ago.

Actually, though, it's time to put even this quilt back on the shelf and get out the Christmas decor.  Tomorrow.  

Now I am off to put a turkey breast in the oven, and make some Stove Top dressing and a couple of easy sides.  Kasey, Beau, and the girls are on their inaugural trip in their new travel trailer, and I hope they are having a fun time; the boys all had plans of their own.  So Jared will come, and we will share our minimalist feast.  :)  

Blessings to all!

On vacation...

I love stay-at-home vacation days.  Today I'm doing some sewing; making a few more masks.  

I've watched a ton of Utube videos and used a few different patterns since the pandemic started.  This one is my favorite, though I had to adapt it to suit me better.  In the original pattern the bottom was just unfitted and left a big gap at the bottom.  On my first half dozen or so I added a strip of elastic to the inside bottom edge so that it tucked comfortably under my chin and was more protective without the big gap. 

I always use two different fabrics for the interior and exterior so that if the mask is removed and then put back on, I can easily tell which side should be worn toward the face.  So it's just a short jump to making them fully reversible.  However, the side that the elastic was on looked a bit too messy to be worn on the outside to me.

Now, instead of the elastic, I add a small dart on each side of the front center seam before sewing the interior and exterior layers together.  It now fits comfortably under my chin and looks equally neat on both fabric sides.  Completely reversible!  Don't worry, I always launder after each wearing.  One should never wear the outside of a worn mask against their face...that's the side that has encountered other people's germs!  (Just turning inside out and wearing doesn't work for masks like it does for underwear.  I'm kidding!  I'm kidding!!! )

These changes have enabled me to really expand my mask wardrobe with a lot less sewing.  (Does this photo look like it's from a Christmas episode of The Handmaid's Tale to anyone else, or is it just me.  LOL)

I know, I know...the plaid pattern is not perfectly matched.  My mother has been harping on me from her grave about it all afternoon.  :)

I've started using longer pieces of elastic for ear pieces and adding silicone cord locks so the length can be adjusted for comfort.  Now I don't have to worry about an exact fit, because I was always getting them just a little too loose or a little too tight (okay, truthfully one of my first  masks makes my ears stick out like Howdy Doody...LOL).

I also like the aluminum nose-bridge strips with adhesive on one side that I purchased from Amazon recently.  Added to the top edge they really cut down on glasses fogging up.

Now I need to get back to the sewing machine.  I'm hoping to have at least seven new masks done before I return to work.  Also in the works is a lap quilt to donate, and I want a pretty mug rug for my work desk.  Hopefully I will be able to show those before vacation is over.

ps:  Yes, I do know that a vaccine is looking very, very promising, but I figure it will be months at the very least before the general public is able to get it.  And I like for my masks to match my work outfits.  :)