A Call for Help!

I can hear you groan already.

Go ahead. Groan.

I had pretty much stayed out of the mask making frenzy because here in Poland the Polish seamstresses jumped on the task right away. I was so happy for them that they were doing their job and doing it enthusiastically with encouragement from the leaders of this country. Some of the local small businesses switched over from sewing clothing and started making masks. I was happy about that!

While other world leaders including WHO and others were telling people NOT to wear masks - calling them useless, the people over here rejected that and encouraged wearing them right from the beginning.

Well, fast forward a month. I’ve been doing other sewing, as you’ve seen. I’ve also been trying very hard to deal with my scraps. Very hard.

I got a forwarded note last Friday from a friend who lives in Warsaw. A counselor from a local children’s hospital needed masks…and was asking any seamstresses in the Warsaw area to help out.

Well, this hospital is actually quite close to us, so I began to feel like helping. It’s not as if I hadn’t helped AT ALL. I had made some masks for friends - but not anything on a big scale.

I don’t think I need to go into the reasons as any of you who have felt my quandary have also thought the same things - uncertainly as to what style, uncertainty IF they were going to use them or just toss them !! (GRR), uncertainty that my time is better used for this or that.

You get the picture.

Well, I had been inside this particular hospital many years ago and a kid who actually lived with us in our house for a while was there for a while. In short, I guess…well…I felt the connection.

I contacted the psychologist who had written the request via Messenger to see if she would write me back as to what style and such.

I’ve had people never see my notes to them via Messenger if they aren’t very savvy with social media, so I wasn’t sure if she would see it since we aren’t friends. I wasn’t going to just start making masks without knowing where they were going or what kinds of requirements people had.

Let me assure you - I AM NOT BORED YET. (I am closing in on scraps…and that is very exciting to me! Starting to feel like the horse heading to the barn…not quite…but getting close!)

Well, within a half an hour she wrote me back!

This style is lined - and turning them inside out is one of the toughest things about this mask!

I was happy and sad at the same time.

Is that weird? I want to help, but I am also quite happy taking care of my own things as well.

She told me that it didn’t matter what style and that they needed 50, but any number would do.

So, I detoured from other things like quilting and over the Easter weekend I decided to make the “rounded nose” style of masks. I think some call them the Olson style - though I’ve not done the research to know the reason why they are called that. I had seen the pattern on the Joann.com website and thought they were cool.

They also used less fabric, but more importantly to me, they could be easily reversible.

I knew I was going where few would dare. I wanted to make some “fun” masks.

These were for the counselors at the local children’s mental hospital.

In the states, the nurses who work with children often wear scrubs that are colorful and fun. I’ve never EVER seen any such thing here in Poland.

I washed them and while I dried them, I let them finish drying out in the air so they would get 100% dry before I packed them up.

However…I did it. I made masks of all kinds - animals, bright prints, flip flops, stars, horses, Polish folk designs, bandanna, etc.

Never fear, though. On the reverse side of each of the wild prints, I put a sold fabric. Now, I didn’t use solid white or black. The calmest I used of the solids were a brown, a light yellow and gray. Most were royal blue, green or other bright/bold colors.

I guess we’ll see how they are received. I’m supposed to deliver them today at 3:30 pm. (Today meaning Wednesday).

Starting Thursday, the day this blog post comes out, in Poland, it will be required that everyone wear masks in public. Everyone. Everywhere. I think the exceptions are for children 2 and under and people who are unable to do it themselves. However, they probably won’t be out in the public much.

I made some labels that were going to go in the little zipper bags saying that the masks are reversible, reusable and gave washing instructions. I also put our organizations name on it and my own name.

The Monday after Easter, which is called Easter Monday, everything was still closed.

Tuesday I went to my local findings place and bought some small baggies for putting the finished and newly washed masks in.

I printed out a label mentioning that they are reversible, washable, reusable masks.

I also included our organization’s name and my name and a note of thanks to the workers. I bagged them all up, squished out as much air as I could and put them in a box my husband dug up for me.

I think they look very nice. This is how everyone is delivering masks around here. People pack them up individually.

I know - so many of you have worked tirelessly making masks for various groups and organizations. I applaud you! I wish I could make trophies and give them to you! You deserve it. My story is nothing compared to what many, many of you have done and continue to do.

Back to my story - I did meet the lady at 3:30 and gave her the box of masks.

I was able to hand her the box of masks as I caught her eye as she walked out the door. She walked over to the vehicle. I got out of the car and while maintaining distance as much as possible, I handed her the box.

She said thank you - sort of bowed and took them away.

I was to meet my contact at 3:30 pm. At about 3:20 I went to the car (technically a minivan). I was there at 3:25 or so. I told you it was close to our house. Not much traffic on the roads these days.

She glanced at them. I don’t know what she thinks. I may never know!

If I do hear something back, I’ll let you all know. I do know they are “different” from what they are used to here.

I hope they like them!

Anyway, I drove off and went to deliver some fabric to another seamstress in the area making masks. I might not have delivered it, but I was already out and she doesn’t have a car.

Can you believe they are OUT OF COTTON FABRIC here in our area? I am kind of in shock! I was willing to sell my friend some of my Polish fabrics so she can make more masks. I am not willing to sell off my (American fabrics) stash, however. I worked hard to get it to Poland and the cost would be more than most people here want to pay.

But my Polish fabrics? Well, I have a lot of it and can replenish it when all this is over. I just need to sell it for enough so that I can do that.

I drove into the hospital area and was asked to wait in the parking area. Straight ahead is the front door.

I waited for the psychologist/counselor to come out the door shortly after 3:30 pm.

I know my measly 60+ masks is really just “not very much”. But it is my story and I was able to deliver them to a group of people who needed them!

For those of you who are wondering which pattern I really did use, while I did make one up from the Joann denim mask pattern, the pattern I used for all of these is here Face Mask Type A without a pocket but with interfacing. I also used ties and not elastic. I didn’t have wire to put in the nose wire.I was able to pick up some on Tuesday should I need to make more.

Have a great day! Stay safe wherever you are reading this!

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Be sure to check out what my sis has for you in the store!

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