More Masks

I was asked again to make masks. Mask sewing has been an exhausting endevour for me. At first, it was just really sad. Now, it isn't so sad but still not how I want to spend my creative time all the time.

As an experiment, I timed myself when I made this mask. From start to finish, including pressing, cutting, assembly, and finishing, took about 15 minutes. It doesn't seem like much time, does it? For such a little thing. A little thing that can prevent people from continuing to spread a deadly disease. This is the pattern from Craft Passion. Still my favorite after all these different patterns. My version is slightly modified to remove bulk along the edges where the ear loops are attached.

I cut and pressed and almost finished a big stack of these. I will be shipping these to friends and family as I get requests and make them. I make the masks in two sizes: medium and large. Each is made with two layers of quilting cotton with elastic for the ears. They are intended for short-term wear. I believe a tie is more reliable for longer periods of wear.

Articles (updated July 2020)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19
NPR: A User's Guide To Masks: What's Best At Protecting Others (And Yourself) 
NPR: Widespread Use Of Face Masks Could Save Tens Of Thousands Of Lives, Models Project 
World Health Organization: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public: Mythbusters

Mask Patterns
Domesticity Fabric Shop (three free patterns linked)
Craft Passion (my preferred pattern, includes video tutorial)
Delectable Mountain Quilter's Guild (several tips, patterns, and references)

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Creative Grids 6.5" Square Ruler
Creative Grids 4.5" x 12.5" Rectangle Quilting Ruler
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion
Fiskars 8-inch scissors
Juki TL-2010Q
Oval Shoelaces Half Round 1/4"
Clover 2-Type Bodkin

Cranky Socks

I cranked up a couple pairs of socks last weekend. Fist was a pair using this fun Stroll Gradient from Knit Picks. Like many of their yarns, this might be a limited run color. If I see a color I really like I make sure to buy it. Or, like this, I buy it when it goes on sale.

I am still loving the sock knitting on my Erlbacher Gearhart circular sock knitting machine. Socks are quick and they make great gifts!

When I had finished that pair, I switched gear to crank out some monster socks using leftover Knit Picks Felici. Felici is a fun self-striping yarn that comes in 50 gram balls. I have leftovers of this yarn for days! I used my mini-mast and split yarn carrier to easily switch between colors using up some of that yarn.

Here is the sock train as it comes off the machine. This is one long tube with waste yarn between the socks.

Separated and ready to have the toes closed up and the waste yarn removed.

Here is the gradient pair. They weren't long enough to get to the darkest green. They're still pretty awesome! And that green will end up in another pair of monster socks.

Here are the finished monster socks. One has more rounds of purple for the contrast toe due to a counting error (and me being too stubborn to go back and switch the yarn for only a few rows). Still fun. I'm going to keep making these until I run out of leftover yarn. That will likely be never.

Split Yarn Carrier by Chambord CSM

Hybrid Mount Mini Mast for Erlbacher Gearhart Circular Sock Machine

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):

Fiskars 7 Inch Softgrip Student Scissors (snipping yarn)
5 Pieces 5 Different Size Bent Latch Hook Crochet Needle Hook (picking up dropped stitches)
Cable Clamp PRO Cable Management 4 Pack (used in place of weight buckle)
Brightech Lightview Pro Flex - Hands Free, Magnifying Glass Desk Lamp for Close Work (lens removed)
Zibra PB100LZR Grip-n-Glide 1-Inch Round Trim Paint Brush (to clean lint/dust from machine)
24 Pack Metal Rectangular Empty Hinged Tins (hold extra machine needles)
addi Express Hook (picking up dropped stitches, hanging setup bonnet, finishing missed stitches)
Do4U Drinking Home Office Table Desk Side Huge Clip (I use it to hold the ball/cake of yarn while I crank but it could hold your drink, too)
BLACK+DECKER WM225-A Portable Project Center and Vise (this is my machine stand, slightly modified for a larger work surface)
RuMe Bags Baggie All (Aspen) (to hold my hand-finishing supplies: yarn needle, needle threader, scissors, Kitchener directions, stitch markers, etc)

Odds and Ends

This lily (I think it is a lily) was blooming in my front garden recently. Right there next to the weeds. We like all the plants here, even the dandelions.

I carried my latest crochet project (that I have yet to share) around in this awesome tote I made using an embroidery design from Urban Threads and too many Sharpies.

I made fococcia bread for dinner one night using this recipe.

It came out great! We added it to the list of things to make when we host dinner and games with friends. 

I finished this fun pair of stripy socks using the mini-mast I picked up specifically to make fun stripy socks. Expect to see many more in even more exciting color combinations. Yarn from Knit Picks; stripes are Felici, solid purple is Stroll solid.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Knitter's Pride medium sock blockers
Baker's Half Sheet (2 Pack)
15 X 16 inch canvas tote (20 pack)

Too many Sharpies (affiliate links):
Ultra Fine Point Sharpies
Sharpie Electro Pop Permanent Markers, Ultra Fine Point
Sharpie Permanent Markers, Ultra Fine Point, Cosmic Color
Sharpie Permanent Markers, Fine Point, 80s Glam Colors
Fine Point Sharpies
Sharpie Color Burst Permanent Markers, Fine Point
Sharpie Permanent Markers, Fine Point, Cosmic Color
Sharpie Permanent Markers, Fine Point, 80s Glam Colors

Snuffle Mat

Somewhere I saw someone had made a snuffle mat, or mentioned one, and had to see what it was about. I found a tutorial by The Honest Kitchen so I decided to make one for my dog. First, I ordered this dish mat from Amazon. It cost about $6. The edges are a little curled because we put it through the dishwasher before I added the strips. It had a smell when it arrived.

I reached into my fleece scraps bin and cut a bunch of pieces roughly 1" wide by 6-7" long and sat down to make the snuffle mat.

It's a super simple project that doesn't take long. Once you get the pieces cut you just sit down with your favorite podcast and tie all the strips onto the mat.

Here is what it should look like on the back (this was the only thing missing from the tutorial that I thought might help) once you get all the strips tied on. The density of the strips keeps it flat on the floor so those curled edges aren't really an issue.

Because I cut the pieces both width-wise and length-wise based on the scrap at hand, some of the strips stretched and others didn't. That left me with an uneven surface. I shoved some small training treats into the spaces between the strips and encouraged my dog to find them. The first time was too exciting because it was new and she wasn't quite sure what to expect. I had to make her put it down more than once the first use. The second time she knew what she was doing and was excited to find the treats. Definitely a fun addition to rewards and it only cost me $6 and some time.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
Kitchen Protector Regular, White, Sink Mat