Stitch Meditations in a Time of Plague

And now, my city of Hollywood, Florida has declared that we all must wear masks.  Or more specifically:

"The City of Hollywood has issued an Emergency Order effective tomorrow, Thursday, April 9, 2020 at 12:01 a.m.ordering that all persons outside their homes and within a public place such as a grocery store, hardware store, pharmacy, restaurant, or other deemed essential business, are mandated to wear a cloth facial covering consistent with the current CDC guidelines. All individuals providing delivery services shall wear a form of covering over their noses and mouths while making deliveries."

My first thought:  thank goodness we have plenty of cloth and know how to sew.

My next thought:  I bought that fabric to make quilts for pregnant friends.  Interesting symbolism, the fabric for baby quilts repurposed into masks.

On Saturday, I tried a no-sew version, with cloth and ponytail holders:

I'd been seeing various videos about how to make a mask without sewing--a length of cloth, 2 ponytail holders, fold, fold, flip, flip done. I experimented. Maybe I have weird ears, but I couldn't get the ponytail holders to stay on my ears. Or maybe it's the ponytail holders. 

I think I'll switch to ribbons; I also have a stash of ribbons. I do like the butterfly cloth that I've been hoarding--neat symbolism, both for the pandemic and for the season of Easter.

I need to go to the CDC website to see if we're allowed to use scarves or bandanas as a covering.  I went to the grocery store Tuesday, and it looked like bandits were taking over the store, everyone with bandanas around their noses and mouths.  About a third of the patrons wore bandanas, a third wore some version of a mask (more construction masks than surgical masks).

On Sunday, I stitched a prototype mask.  I had a flannel panel, flannel also bought for a baby quilt.  It needs some modifying still.  I made it much too big.  Before I make more, I'll look up some patterns.  But it's not too hard.  One of my friends from South Carolina community college days is using these measurements:  9 1/2 x 61/2. 18 inch straps or 7 inch elastic.  If you want much more information, this article in The Washington Post should give you everything you need.

It's not the stitch meditation practice that I thought I would adopt.  But the season has changed radically from 6 weeks ago, when I first started thinking about stitch meditations.