Personalize Your Face Masks

Here it is November and many sewists have spent time making masks these past 9 months as we try to lessen the impacts of this global pandemic.

This summer, Elizabeth ordered some premade cotton-knit 2 layer face masks and dyed them using the ice dyeing techniques we have talked about before.  Search the label ice dyeing on this post to see old posts where we mentioned ice dyeing.

After dyeing some masks she got to work using thermofax screens to add images.  She tried adding an owl from our collection which had previously worked well on a woven cotton but found that it was too detailed and just looked blob-like on the knit mask fabric (top left)  Since less detailed images seemed to work best she tried some of the screens in our collection which were hand drawn and had thicker lines.  She was also particularly pulled to the words that could be added either alone on a mask or over top of another image.  

As these masks were premade and included some gathering around the edges it wasn't always easy to get the image into the space without a wrinkle or two.  This was exacerbated by trying to use the screen a second time once paint was blocking the view of the image.  Thus, she did a lot more screen cleaning than normal. Screening fabric first and then sewing the mask is an alternative if you sew.

If you have a simple line drawing you think might look good on a mask, send us the image sized for the small screen and see if you can make your own personalized mask.  This cardinal came from the Graphics Fairy, a free source for vintage, public domain art work. 

This is a dragonfly that Sue drew on a piece of paper with a black pen.  We can make a screen from your drawing so long as the image is black and white.

A favorite is when you can screen two images and have one as a foreground and one as a background such as these daisies and then add a sentiment or positive word on top.

Different fonts will give you different looks so play around and see what words you can fit in the size of the mask you are using.  There are so many to choose from just in Microsoft Word alone.  Above, the word "Flourish" is in a font called "Casteller". Most of the fonts we used are in the range of 65-120 font size but that would depend on the length of your word and the size of the printing space available on your mask.  Enjoy personalizing your mask with your own work.  We would be happy to help you.  Visit our Etsy shop to see our screens and order a personalized screen. Right now there is a 20% off sale through December 3, 2020. 

If you use a word though, by careful when you put your mask on because you might be walking around with your mask on upside down!  How embarrassing is that?

Quilt Camp-Week 11 Sometimes your creative journey takes you in a different direction

Last week, Sue wrote about how she revived her original idea for using our new screens in a project to benefit the Virginia Quilt Museum by adding variety to her 9 patch squares.

Elizabeth also tried to make a 9 patch but took the path of a quilt-as-you-go with a leaf quilt design.  Her plan was to fuse applique her fall inspired leaves to the block after the quilting and then stitch them around the edges.  What happened?  After making a few trial blocks she decided the leaves were too small for the blocks,   Also, the leaf designs, while lovely and some of our best selling screens, are not the new thermofax screens we hoped to showcase for you.  The bark screen was the intention for the 9 patch.  

After seeing Sue's dyed fabric, Elizabeth remembered this spiral ice dyed piece and it reminded her of the fall through the skylights here in her house in New Hampshire.

Taking the spiral as a whole piece, she laid out her fused leaves in a circular pattern and then still thought, nah, this isn't working.  That happens some times when making an art quilt and we have to give ourselves permission to put it aside and go create something else.

A few warm early fall days were arriving so she went back to ice dyeing some masks. Maybe she will return to the other ideas on another day?  On some lime green/yellow ice dyed combinations the new Luna Moth was printed with fabric paint.

One of our new screen options are words.  We will burn screens of your choice of words and you can use them in your fiber, paper, clay, or other surfaces that will take a paint or thickened dye.  Elizabeth made these masks using some screens she had on hand.  Wouldn't "smile" be a great one to use?  Smile is one of our new word screens.  Bloom seemed like a good choice also.

You can find the luna moth and word screens, as well as all our other designs, in our Etsy shop.  We are also happy to make custom screens from your images.  Don't forget our fall sale runs through Saturday, Oct. 3. Use code SEPT2020 at check out for a 15% discount.

May Musings

Wow, again its been 2 months since our last post.  You would think with all this time staying at home through the corona virus pandemic that we'd post more often.  But like many of you, we seem to be focused more inward, just trying to maintain some semblance of routine in this very abnormal situation. For most people this has been a time of reflection and adaptation.  Whether working at home, home schooling children, sequestered with your spouse or housemates, or home alone, it may still be some time before we get back to life as we knew it so trying to keep a routine and healthy habits is important.

Sue is home in Virginia with her husband.  She maintains a fairly consistent exercise routine - walking, online Zumba and yoga classes.  Working on various quilt projects, some just for mindless sewing, other art pieces that require more thought and time.  Of course there's been the mask making and also PPE gown making for her sister-in-law who works in a nursing home.  And making bi-weekly trips to the grocery store.  Her husband rides a motorcycle, so they have been able to take some rides for a welcome change of scenery.

Elizabeth was in Mississippi at her mother's house when the stay at home orders started.  She and her sister had the goal of finishing cleaning out the house in order to put it on the market this spring.  So she is still in Mississippi, unfortunately without a sewing machine!  All those sewing tools had previously been removed.  So she has had to find different creative outlets.  In addition to continuing to make cyanotype prints, we have both been following Marisela Rumberg as she leads Thursday evening Facebook Live classes on Zentangle, and have now completed 10 lessons on this abstract drawing method. (#ZentangleBeforeBed)

In case you were wondering, our Thermofax screen business is still going strong.  Most all orders through the Etsy shop are prepared and mailed without leaving home.  Supplies are sourced online. We added some new screens to the Etsy shop in March and April; if you're a newsletter subscriber you'll have seen them.  If you're not, you can subscribe at the top right of this page.  We are also always happy to make custom screens for you to assist in your creative endeavors. Just be sure there are no copyright restrictions on images you send us for screens.

Like many of you, we are missing family and friends and those routine activities we may have taken for granted. Birthdays, holidays, graduations pass without the usual celebrations.  Elizabeth missed her grandson's 2nd birthday.  Sue's family celebrated a socially distant Mother's Day.  We treasure the opportunities to connect over Zoom or Facetime.  Special events have been cancelled over the last 2 months and in the months to come. Already several quilting events for early 2021 have announced that they will transition to virtual events instead of live. (QuiltCon, Craft Napa) Still others like International Quilt Festival Houston remain on the calendar, waiting to see what happens. But we carry on, like you, trying to make the best of the situation.

What have you been doing/working on over the last few months?  Have you focused on UFOs?  New projects? Mask making?  Learning something new?  It seems that opportunities abound for online learning, projects and quilt alongs in the creative community.   What have you done to maintain a routine in this time of uncertainty?  Please share your thoughts, projects, new endeavors in the comments or on our Facebook page.  We so appreciate hearing from you, now more than ever!