Assembly Line

Our knitting group has sewn nearly 400 fabric masks to donate to local hospitals, grocery stores, clinics, and friends. I had so much trouble making our own masks last week that I didn't join in until today. I was given a stack of cloth parts, which made it a lot easier. No distractions like picking the perfect colors or matching everything exactly. Just grab and sew. I got myself a nice little assembly line going: sew the curved seams on all the pieces, then go back and do all the straight seams, and then put the completed fronts and backs together. I still have trouble with the wires that go over the nose, but I’ll figure it out. The masks are designed to hold a filter, but that’s someone else’s department. 

In addition, there is a new group in town to coordinate sewists (not sewers, which can easily be misread), donated supplies, and folks who need masks. It’s all quite a production—people want so badly to do something  to help. We want to feel useful. We want to believe we can make a difference.

In the meantime, other people are whining about the recent closures of all our beaches, trails and parks, including those on campus. All of these spaces were overrun, and not safe. We’d like to blame it on the tourists, but according to one article I read it was locals who got the most citations the other day. Stay At Home. Wear a Mask if you have to go out. This is not “government overreach”, “paranoid hysteria,” or perpetuating “a fear based agenda,” favorite phrases of some letter writers. We are making a difference. We’re just not done yet.


Day 26