Masks en masse
I took yesterday off from mask-making since I worked, but today, I got back into it. I also decided to try and streamline things a bit by cutting the patterns for several masks at once. I was using the swirly purple butterfly fabric, the one that should be more forgiving toward a pieced-together pattern, and wanted to make the fitted-style mask for all three of us ladies.
With the first, busier fabric, I had cut it in half to save part of it for later, figuring a smaller piece of fabric would be easier to work with. This time, in measuring the piece, I discovered one side was 44" long--the exact length of one of the ties. If I cut a strip of that size, I wouldn't have to sew multiple pieces together. Hmm. Except I have no long work space in my bedroom; I've been cutting patterns using my little lap desk. Except except, my low dresser is pretty long... And so I soon found myself clearing almost everything off said dresser, save for the plugged-in stuff, so that I would have room to lay out the fabric, with much of it draped over the back. Once I cut the strips for the ties, I set about drawing the pattern for the front and back of three masks, twelve pieces total. This also included drawing in the 1/4" seam allowance to know where to sew. I should mention I found French chalk in with the sewing stuff, so that's what I've been using these past couple masks. I guess it'll wash off--I know pencil stays on, even after washing. Also, in my grandfather's stuff I had found this tool to help make even stitches, though I guess it's best used with tracing paper which I don't have, but I tried to find it the other day and for the life of me have no idea where it is or where it could have gone. I searched through the stuff, too. Weird. But I'll live.
With all the pieces cut and marked, I went ahead and started sewing everything at once, my version of an assembly line. Pin the outer fabric together, pin the inner fabric together, sew. Pin both parts together, sew. Form the channels for the ties, sew. That's where I am currently; all the masks are formed, and one has its tie channels done. Considering I worked from about 8:30 to 6, with half-hour breaks for lunch and dinner, I think I did pretty well. Some days I wouldn't have gotten one mask completed in that timeframe. I even got to where I was measuring out my thread and cutting it all at once--I had three separate lengths for three different areas to sew at one point--so that once I finished one area, I could grab the next thread to start the next area needing sewing. It worked really well. I was pretty impressed with myself. I also continued to work off of my dresser. Usually I do all this on my bed, but it's not a solid surface so it hurts my back after a while. I have an old desk chair on rollers that I keep at my keyboard, the desk long since relegated to the basement, and I sat on that. It was nice to have a flat work space and to have everything laid out ready to go. The chair got uncomfortable after a while, so I grabbed an old pillow to sit on, but otherwise it worked out well. The bright and sunny day helped, since I was by a window and had plenty of natural light. It was only after dinner that it got a little dim to work, which is part of why I stopped.
The ties are the hard part, since it's tedious, and I have all those left to do, but once they're all pinned into place it shouldn't be too bad. And while I have the two sets of channels to sew, at least the masks otherwise are done. This is really good, since I'll definitely have two masks to give to grandma by next week. We're not sure what we're doing for her birthday, but I'd really like to go visit her somehow, whether it's yelling up to her balcony from the school parking lot, visiting with her on a bench outside, or maybe standing 6' from her door in the hallway. Whatever. I'm up for it.
With the first, busier fabric, I had cut it in half to save part of it for later, figuring a smaller piece of fabric would be easier to work with. This time, in measuring the piece, I discovered one side was 44" long--the exact length of one of the ties. If I cut a strip of that size, I wouldn't have to sew multiple pieces together. Hmm. Except I have no long work space in my bedroom; I've been cutting patterns using my little lap desk. Except except, my low dresser is pretty long... And so I soon found myself clearing almost everything off said dresser, save for the plugged-in stuff, so that I would have room to lay out the fabric, with much of it draped over the back. Once I cut the strips for the ties, I set about drawing the pattern for the front and back of three masks, twelve pieces total. This also included drawing in the 1/4" seam allowance to know where to sew. I should mention I found French chalk in with the sewing stuff, so that's what I've been using these past couple masks. I guess it'll wash off--I know pencil stays on, even after washing. Also, in my grandfather's stuff I had found this tool to help make even stitches, though I guess it's best used with tracing paper which I don't have, but I tried to find it the other day and for the life of me have no idea where it is or where it could have gone. I searched through the stuff, too. Weird. But I'll live.
With all the pieces cut and marked, I went ahead and started sewing everything at once, my version of an assembly line. Pin the outer fabric together, pin the inner fabric together, sew. Pin both parts together, sew. Form the channels for the ties, sew. That's where I am currently; all the masks are formed, and one has its tie channels done. Considering I worked from about 8:30 to 6, with half-hour breaks for lunch and dinner, I think I did pretty well. Some days I wouldn't have gotten one mask completed in that timeframe. I even got to where I was measuring out my thread and cutting it all at once--I had three separate lengths for three different areas to sew at one point--so that once I finished one area, I could grab the next thread to start the next area needing sewing. It worked really well. I was pretty impressed with myself. I also continued to work off of my dresser. Usually I do all this on my bed, but it's not a solid surface so it hurts my back after a while. I have an old desk chair on rollers that I keep at my keyboard, the desk long since relegated to the basement, and I sat on that. It was nice to have a flat work space and to have everything laid out ready to go. The chair got uncomfortable after a while, so I grabbed an old pillow to sit on, but otherwise it worked out well. The bright and sunny day helped, since I was by a window and had plenty of natural light. It was only after dinner that it got a little dim to work, which is part of why I stopped.
The ties are the hard part, since it's tedious, and I have all those left to do, but once they're all pinned into place it shouldn't be too bad. And while I have the two sets of channels to sew, at least the masks otherwise are done. This is really good, since I'll definitely have two masks to give to grandma by next week. We're not sure what we're doing for her birthday, but I'd really like to go visit her somehow, whether it's yelling up to her balcony from the school parking lot, visiting with her on a bench outside, or maybe standing 6' from her door in the hallway. Whatever. I'm up for it.