IT MUST BE SUNDAY

Yes, it must be Sunday, because I worshiped on line this morning via Facebook.  Yes, it is an new world at the moment.  I must admit though it's kind of nice to be able to go to church before I even get out of bed in the morning. Much more cozy that most church chairs or pews. 

After church it was time for a cup of tea and to read the newspaper. Then get into activities of another day.  Work on the computer, do a Sudoku puzzle, make lunch (I don't do breakfast) and then plan out the rest of the day.

I actually started and finished a project I've been thinking about for a while.  Coloring on fabric.

About six months ago I purchased Derwent Inktense Pencils. I've played around with them a bit but not been too happy with the results. Last week I watched a YouTube video on using them on fabric and discovered that I shouldn't have been using water with them but rather Textile Medium. So I decided to give them another try.  I've been thinking for some time that it would be fun to stitch out a red work embroidery design and then color it in.  That is what I did.  I found an Anita Goodesign pattern called Baltimore Album and chose a few of the blocks to stitch out. This is the design I started with.  I stitched it with black embroidery thread and did place some batting behind the background fabric.
Here is my beginning of coloring. I started with the leaves because I thought the would be the easiest to deal with.  I wasn't sure how I would handle shading so it didn't look flat, but decided not to worry about it and just jump in and see what the result was.  I started with coloring the whole leave with a very light green, then put down a little bit of a darker green at the bottom and finally added just a touch of very dark green at the bottom of the leaf. Before going over everything with a stiff paint brush dipped into a tiny bit of textile medium the look is very pale and streaked.  You can see all the pencil strokes.


See the rose at the right.  It certainly doesn't look like much. Below is what it looks like after blending it with the textile medium.  It is much brighter and vibrant. I am very pleased with how my shading has turned out.  I think I am hooked on this. I plan to do two more blocks and then turn them into a wall hanging.







 Below is the block that is finished as far as the painting goes. I still  have it in the embroidery hoop and tomorrow will put it back into the machine and using My Design Center create some stippling to quilt around the flowers.

WHAT HAPPENED TO YESTERDAY?

The answer is I have no idea. Where did yesterday go? I know I did finish another 4 masks and delivered them to the folks that asked for them. Other than that I don't remember what I did. Oh wait....I did take part in a ZOOM meeting with friends from several of my sewing and embroidery groups. It was fantastic to see those friends and see what all they have been doing. I think it will become a weekly meeting. Gives me some incentive to keep creating. 

Creating....did I do anything today???  Sadly no. I am running my dishwasher....I guess that's not very creative. It was a rough morning.  Once again at 5am weather radio went off warning about severe thunderstorms moving into my area. Yeah they were pretty bad and it seemed the radio went off every 30 minutes or so till 7am. At that point I feel asleep again and didn't wake up till 11:30. When I get up that late it seems nothing really gets done. Oh well tomorrow is another day.  Hopefully one with a calmer start.

IT'S BEEN AWHILE!

I haven't been here for five days.  I guess that's because not has been happening the last five days. How many days in a row can I talk about making masks?  Yep, still making them. Fortunately not in the quantity I had been. Now I do between 2 and 6 a day. I keep trying to get a ready made stack of them for future requests, but requests of 2 or 3 a day keep the shelf empty. I've worked a bit on my scrap quilt from the strips left over from the masks. Sadly I mostly seem to fritter the day away on the computer. 

I'm basically okay with being home.  I was however surprised on how excited I was when a friend came by with her husband, also a friend, to drop off some elastic for more masks. It felt like Christmas even though we only talked with her outside my lanai and myself inside it on the opposite side where she was.  

Oh, a good side benefit of this "stay at home" period is that I've video chatted with my kids three times now in the last three weeks. It's wonderful to see them when we talk even if half the time I feel like I look like a train wreck. 

I am a bit concerned that the powers that be are planning on beginning to reopen Village activities in a week and a half.  Personally I have decided that I will be staying home through at least the end of  May unless something dramatic happens.  Funny thing is the politicians are all pushing for businesses to reopen.  The health care experts are against it.  I just saw a poll that said an overwhelming portion of the population, Democrats and Republicans, feel it is too early to reopen things.  The politicians don't seem to care though.  They seem to be more worried about our economy than lives and public health. 

So those are my thought as of tonight. I have more, but I have learned that it is best I keep them to myself or at least only express them around like minded thinkers or the remaining few that still like a good discussion about what is going on in the world, our country, state and community.  To many don't want to discuss. They just seem to want to say you are wrong and don't know what you are talking about. Period--End of Discussion. So I will keep them out of here.

Tomorrow I am going to have my first experience with a Zoom meeting.  Not sure how that works but it will be nice to spend some time with sewing and crafting friends even if its over the computer. 

After that maybe some sewing that will result in a project I can show here, 

Nite!  

  

NO MASKS TODAY!

Not only did I not make any face mask today, I didn't work on anything that had a connection to Covid-19. That means I didn't work on my Covid quilt either.  I did sew though.  Went back to embroidery and made a cute little wall-hanging. I actually started it and finished it in one day.  For me that is impressive. The only thing not done in the hoop was the binding. Also adding the crystals.

THE OUTSIDE WORLD STILL EXISTS!

Today I escaped for about an hour.  It was wonderful!!!!!

I started the day after my tea and a shower with finishing up a few face masks requested by people.  For the moment I am caught up and done.  I made two for some neighbors here in the Villas.  When Kathy came to pick them up off the lanai she left me a gift.  It was wonderfully fun.  A roll of toilet paper and a Noni Biscotti. They are both appreciated.

I also made to special face masks for some long time Disney friends. Of course they were made up of Mickey and Minnie fabric.  Rich and Laurie live in what is called the Historic side of The Villages.  It's about 10 miles north of here.  I had to go to my mail box to pick up my mail.  I go one day a week. After getting my mail I headed north to deliver the masks. 

It was a beautiful afternoon.  Sunny but cool, which was a wonderful surprise as the day started out cloudy and slightly rainy. My drive was lovely.  It was both reassuring and sad to see how few people were out and about.  Usually on a day like today the cart paths and golf courses would be full of people enjoying the weather and outdoors.  There were some golfers I saw along the way, but not many.  Also there were a few walkers and joggers along the paths but very few.  The reassuring part of this is that people are taking the threat of this virus seriously, which they didn't seem to be doing early on.

Spanish Spring was a bit eerie.  The parking spaces were empty and obviously the stores were all closed.  No one was walking around and the only sign of life I saw was a lone person manning a carryout table at Gators Dockside. They seemed to even be the only restaurant open for carry out.

As empty as everywhere seemed to be it still was wonderful to be out in my car and seeing things different than the walls of my home. I am planning on taking a drive once a week, just to help with the cabin fever. Though it would seem that our esteemed Governor is getting ready to open the state back up for business.   Personally I don't think it is time yet, but I can only control my own behavior.  As lonely as I get at times these days, I will still remain at home till I am comfortable that by going out I will not be putting myself at risk.   

31 DAYS ALONE!

It's now been 31 days since I have been touched by another human being.  That is the hardest part of all this.  I can talk with people. I can even see people. But no touching allowed. I now have a better understanding why they say babies that are left alone in their cribs and never touched do not thrive and may even eventually just fade away and die. Touch is very important. Now I don't think I am at risk of dying from the lack of touch, but I don't relish another month or more without it.  Every day gets a bit harder.

I did get some sewing done today other than face masks.  I will have to get back to them tomorrow.  It still amazes me that as one of the richest countries in the world that so many have to rely on homemade face masks made by volunteers who ask nothing in return.  I may have made well over 150 masks to give away, but that is nothing I read and hear of people who have made over 500 and some over 1000.

So what did I sew on today? I started out with this pile of scraps.  Leftovers from all the masks I have made to date. Most of the scraps are strips or what some quilters call "strings".  Since I had mainly strings, I decided to make a string quilt.  I wanted it to be a bit different than the normal string quilt so decided to make it using rectangular blocks rather than square ones.  I remembered that one group I used to belong to suggested Sewing string quilts onto a foundation of used drier sheets.  That is what I did.  I think I may have mentioned this in an earlier post, but today I got serious about it.  One thing I can say is that it sure smells good when you press the block.

 After sewing the strips on the dryer sheet foundation using a sew and flip method I trimmed them down to a 9'" x 6" rectangle.  This will end up being a finished 8-1/2" x 5-1/2" rectangle. I don't what the quilt to be too big.  I'm thinking a lap quilt that I can throw over myself when sitting and reading a book or watching tv. That is if it ever gets cold in FL again. Other than a rare series of days, on and off, this winter it has been very warm.  Today and yesterday it was in the 90's already. I will probably make the quilt either 6 x 6 blocks or maybe only 4 x 6,  I need an even number of blocks in
each direction because of the design I have chosen to arrange the blocks.

This is my first panel made up of 8 blocks. So far I am liking it. I have another 5 blocks done, but have discovered I seem to favor one direction of placing the strips on the diagonal.  I need to remember to make them the two different ways. 

If there was anyone reading these posts I would ask what do you think.  Since no one does I will simply say I like it.

JUST ANOTHER DAY!

It's Tuesday....at least I'm pretty sure its Tuesday.  Everyday it seems to get harder to remember what day it is.  Thank goodness my phone not only gives me the date, but the day of the week. Everything with which I used to figure out what day it is, is gone.  No club gatherings, no work, no appointments, really nothing not even any church to prepare for.  Every day is just like every other day in this Covid-19 world we are living in. Even TV seems to be the same.....news stories about Covid-19 and more and more reruns as new production is ended.

Between yesterday and today I made another 15 face masks.  I had planned on rejoining the quilt guild here in The Villages.  Kind of glad I didn't get a chance to before all this craziness started.  I just heard a rumor that they received a request for   2000 face masks. YIKES!  Don't get me wrong I've been glad I've had the ability and the means to make the masks I have, but like I've said before I really don't do well with repetitive sewing. It becomes a real chore.

So what else did I do today???? Well I'm working a lot of Sudoku puzzles and even venturing out into the world of other more challenging (for me) puzzles using a grocery store puzzle book. Some a am fairly good at others I find totally frustrating.  One thing I discovered is it is good to hold on to things even when not regularly using them.  It's been a while since I have done anything with this booklet. Check out the date.
Yes, I've had this for awhile.  I remember cleaning out the magazine rack several times
over the years, thinking I should through it out.  I guess I now know why I never did.  Something must just have been whispering in my ear...."one day you may need to work with this again!"  Well that day has now arrived.  This is why I just can't go along with the decluttering thought of if you haven't used it in a year, get rid of it.  One never knows and it's not like I could just run out an buy another puzzle book at this time.


So what else did I do today?  Well, I decided it was time to fix myself a real meal. Not just a sandwich or a chicken breast but nothing else or not even just cheese and crackers.  I cooked! I roasted some fresh asparagus, sautéed some mushrooms, and broiled a steak. It was good. So was the red wine I enjoyed with it, however I have to say I don't make a steak as well as a steakhouse does.  I am really looking forward to a good meal out when this is all over.

Tomorrow will be another day.  Since I've already determined to day is Tuesday, tomorrow will be Wednesday. I will venture out in my car.  I will stay socially distanced and I guess I will wear a mask.  I need to go get my mail.  This is the new world order.....going to get mail is an exciting event because it takes you out into the world.

DAY 28!

Simply HAPPY EASTER!

IT'S ANOTHER DAY LIKE PRETTY MUCH ALL THE OTHER DAYS.

Saturday, April  11: First let me say Happy Birthday Dad!  I miss you but am glad you are at peace and not living through this mess.  Though truth be told mom could probably use you by her side  right about now.  If you can reach out and give her a supportive hug. She's one amazing woman, but I know she's lonely right now.

Among other things today I began to work on my CoVid-19 lap quilt. It will be made up from scraps left over from all the face masks I've made.
This is just a small sample of the scraps I'm working with.  I've decided that I will just do a strip quilt or what some call a string quilt. The goal is to get it done and have it as a memory of this time.

I have been saving used drier sheets to be used as a foundation.  The strips will be sewn on to a sheet.  One nice side effect is when pressing the sewn pieces it sure smells good. I am putting the strips on an angle and because of the size of the drier sheet they will be a rectangular block rather than a square one which is usual.

 This is what the blocks look like after they are sewn and before they are trimmed. So far I think I have 8 blocks completed.  They pretty fast and are pretty mindless to make. I figure that I need 30 or 35 blocks to make a lap size quilt that has a small boarder around the main blocks so I still have a way to go.  Hopefully I have enough scraps left from the masks.  If not I guess that will give me another reason to make more masks. On the right here are what the blocks are like after they have been trimmed to 6" x 9". 

Tomorrow is Easter, but obviously I can't go anywhere. I will watch church via Facebook.  Different but glad we have the technology to do this. There are several community events planned during the day that we can take part in from our yards as a sign of solidarity. I'll see how they go. Other than that I will do more sewing on my quilt. I also will be praying for Jeremy as tomorrow he begins shadowing and learning how to be part of the ICU team.  He is concerned about this and so am I.

DONE??????

I thought I was done. I hoped I was done, but requests for masks keep coming in.  A Baptist church approached a club I am part of and asked if we could make 100 masks for their volunteers at the church run food bank. I really don't want to make anymore but how do I say no?  I can't!  I will though say I can't start making them till Monday.  That will give me a break.

God help me for my thoughts asking why as the richest country in the world we can't produce enough face masks to fill the need.  Also why can't we produce and process the tests needed to know how bad this really is. In my dark heart I fear the answer to the question of testing is that our president does not want confirmation of how bad things really are.  He seems to be living in his own little alternate universe of things are rapidly getting better and we will be back to business in a couple of weeks. I wish!

So what did I do today since I didn't sew masks? Pretty much nothing.  Well that;s not really true.  I did empty, reload and run the dishwasher.  I also did my first online grocery shopping complete with delivery.  It worked well but it is real easy to spend too much. My only consolation after spending $200 is that it should be the only shopping I need to do for another month. This is a very interesting experience to say the least.

DONE!

For the moment I am done with face masks. I have made over 150 of them. Some have gone to California, most have remained here in my community.   Though I have lived in this community in the Village of Hillsborough for almost 8 years, I have not been particularly connected with them.  Partially due to my being single and feeling out of the main stream of  couples and partially due to my introvert nature. I don't do well with strangers. The making of the masks for my neighbors was my way of saying I am part of you. I am very happy that I did it for them, but I have to admit I am glad it is done. Here is the last batch of what I made.


What will I do next.  I'm not sure.  I want to catch my breath. I want to finis reading a book that I have been slowly working on for a month.  When I am ready to get back to sewing I think I want to make a CoVid-19 lap quilt with the scraps left over from all the masks I made. I should be interesting because I just grabbed fabrics out of my stash not worrying if they went together.  I think though it will be a while before I go back to my sewing machine.  From what it sounds like I have plenty of time.

ALMOST DONE

I think...I hope, that tomorrow I will be able to finish all the face masks that have been requested by my neighbors. This has truly been a labor of love. And I do mean LABOR! I normally do not make the same thing anymore than two or three times.  In the extreme case I may make something five times. By the time I am done I will have made approximately 125 face masks. I don;t care to ever see another face mask.  In fact I think I will gladly stay in my home just so I do not need to ever wear one.

I've been thinking of what I will do when I am done with the masks. First off I will probably not sew for a day or two.  I want to finish reading my book.  I want to once again clean my kitchen. This cooking every day is a messy business. I will change the sheets on my bed and do some laundry.  I will for a day or two do what ever I want when I want with no deadlines. I want to totally clean and organize my sewing room.  Then I want to make greeting cards.  I think you get the idea that no matter what I will not be bored. Actually I can't really remember when I was last bored. I guess that is a good thing.

As for Covid-19 it continues it's moving into The Villages.  The infection count and the death count continues to climb. Still there is very little information on what is going on here.  I can't help but feel that The Villages is more concerned about their reputation as a very healthy community then they are in keeping us informed as to what is going on in our midst. Oh well, I'm staying home. I am not ordering meals for carry out, and I fortunately do not need to grocery shop for at least another month.

Hang in there folks, we will get through this. And YES, Easter will come and we will celebrate the risen Christ even if we need to do so in our own homes.

I forgot to mention that tonight Jeremy and I looked at the moon together though we were hundreds of miles apart. It was beautiful.

IT'S TUESDAY

Yes, I missed yesterday. I can't explain it but I was exhausted. I simply didn't have the energy to write anything.  There hasn't been much going on here except for sewing face masks for neighbors. I can't keep showing pictures of those here.  That would be so very boring so not much to say. However today, though I have been still sewing, I am so proud of voters in Wisconsin. At the same time I am so disgusted with the GOP and courts in Wisconsin.  The GOP would not allow the primary to be delayed because of the virus, nor would they allow mail in voting.  The courts agreed. So peoples right to vote  was pitted against their health in a hope that Democrats would not show up at the polls. I can not even begin to express the disgust I have for the GOP at this point. Their mantra for this election cycle seems to be voter suppression because they know that is the only way they have a hope of winning.

I really hope that in a day or to I can get back to posting about sewing and embroidery projects I am working on. This is really stressing me out. It probably is a good thing that nobody reads what I write.

I forgot to add that tonight Jeremy and I looked at the moon.  Isn't it wonderful to be able to share the same visual experience despite being 100's of miles apart.

A DAY OF REST

It is Sunday. I decided to take a day of rest.  Well at least a day of rest from mask making.  I will get back to it tomorrow, but I needed a break.  By 9:30 last night I could barely keep my eyes open I was just totally exhausted once again.  I'm pretty sure it is not a physical exhaustion but an emotional one.  I also today took a break from watching any news on TV.  Instead I watched the original and the second Star Trek movies.  Wow has movie making technology changed!!!

Tonight I don't feel exhausted like the last two nights so I guess my day of rest was needed.  Now I will go and do some reading.  I've reached the point in Laura Bush's autobiography that I am ready to finish it.  I normally am not a non-fiction reader and need to get back to losing myself in a good novel.

The virus continues it's rise in Sumter and Lake Counties. Between the two as of this morning we are up to 183 cases of it and there have been 5 deaths.  Doesn't sound like much but that is an increase of 100 cases since yesterday morning and 3 additional deaths.  That is not good.  I hope I don't hear anymore driveway parties or social gatherings. 

EXHAUSTION!

Tonight I am totally and utterly exhausted!  Last night was not a good night for sleep. But then no night that contains only 3 hours sleep is a good night.  I've been awake since 4:00am and up since 5:00am.  The amazing thing is I did get quite a bit accomplished.  This was most of my day.

Fifteen face masks for my neighbors. Each takes approximately 30 minutes to make despite being called the 10 minute mask.  That's akin to calling Eleanor Burns quilts "Quilts in a Day" !  I also washed and cut out enough fabric for 15-20 more that I will make tomorrow.  Yes, the sweatshop is in full production.  I now have requests for 70 masks.  Well at least I am using up lots of fabric that I have been hoarding over the years.  Thankfully I have had one neighbor offer to help.  She has the machine and the skill I gladly supply the fabric and what little elastic I can come up with. 

It's easy to come up with fabric combinations for the women.  It would seem most of my fabrics from the past have floral themes.  Coming up with fabrics for the men is a little more challenging.  

I am not the only one in The Villages being asked to make masks.  I see on the neighborhood websites pleas for masks.  I wish I had the energy to make more after I finish the 70 I need, but at this point I'm pretty sure I will need a break so I don't crash and burn.  

The number of Covid-19 cases in The Villages continue to rise.  A week ago I don't think we had any or if we did it was only 2 or 3.  As of this morning there were 48, just in the Sumter County portion of The Villages and another 40 in the Lake County portion.  Also today the first two Villagers died.  So it begins.  

Despite it's rising presence here there are too many people still complaining that the swimming  pools, are closed as are the rec-centers and as of today god forbid the pickleball courts have been locked down.  Come-on folks we are all adults here.  Act like it! 

Part of me is very happy I have no desire to leave my house except when absolutely necessary, such as when I am out of food and to go pick up my mail once a week. There are way to many angry people out there who are carrying guns in their waistbands or purses. Yes, FL is a concealed carry state.  I hope I am wrong, but I'm afraid its only time before someone goes over the edge because of the stay at home order and uses their gun as a form of emotional release. Like I say I hope and pray that I am wrong. 

On that note GOOD NIGHT!

I AM A SWEAT SHOP!

I went out on a limb today and offered to make face masks for people in my neighborhood.  I've sent off a package already to my son and DIL in LA and now am moving more local. I know I have struggled to make these over and over again, but I truly feel I need to do this. I will make some more tonight and then tomorrow get serious about this.  People have offered to pay for them but I will not take payment. This is my mission to give back for all the blessings I have had in my life. I just pray that God gives me the focus needed to get these done and delivered. 

I believe this is a defining moment for our country. How we react and deal with this pandemic will show who we are.  Are we a people who look for ways to make a profit off of others suffering or are we a country of compassionate people who pull together for the good of all.

IT MAY BE APRIL 1, BUT THIS IS NO JOKE!

It was funny that rather than April Fools jokes and pranks being featured on Facebook today the posts are saying 2020 April Fools Day has been canceled. No prank or joke can top the joke Mother Nature is playing on us with COVID-19. Not sure I would call it a joke but it is what we are living with today, and tomorrow, and many more tomorrows.

Finally today our esteemed Governor, and buddy of our President, announced that FL will start a mandatory stay at home period till early May. I guess he had to get the President's approval before he could do it.  Staying in the President's good graces have paid off for the state of FL. what ever medical supplies and PPE items DeSantis asks for he gets,100% of them, no questions asked. Try and tell me politics are not playing a part in the distributing of supplies....I will tell you to open your eyes.

Okay enough of this, My frustration level with how our country is dealing with this pandemic is growing, but I really don't want to take over this BLOG. I need to be focusing on the positive things I see around me.

No sewing done again today.  I used up my energy and thought processes paying and scheduling payments for my April bills.  That is always stressful till I finish and find out if I have any money left in my checking account.  I am happy to report that due to staying at home and not eating out I will have money left at the end of April. Not much but more than usual and I am anticipating a continued lack of spending throughout April so May should be good as well. Te most exciting thing about paying the bills today though was realizing that the loan for my eye surgery last June is now paid off. YEA!  Now to work on paying off my dental bills. I will be so happy  when they are gone.

Tomorrow, I am promising myself I will get back to sewing. I also need to package up the face masks I have currently finished and get them sent off to Lindsay. I'm not sure if going to PO is considered essential activity so will get it done before the actual order goes into effect. Whoopee; I get to go for a car ride.  Ah, the small things that are now so exciting.  So enough for tonight.  I will now go read some more and then head to bed.