HI everyone,
I had a really, really, really, busy day today, from the moment I opened my bedroom door, till now…it’s a few minutes after midnight. I was so busy, I just got though reading all your comments, but too late to comment… Thanks everyone… It seems Jacey was the hit of the pictures yesterday! Isn’t she a little doll?
Charlotte might be sending some pictures of her girls dressed up for Easter…
Joy tells us there is a new Fashion Friends coming out… in fact, she’s already out, but 2 more are to be released soon…
Linda says you can find doll sized Easter baskets at Hobby Lobby… well, NOT THIS YEAR… hold that thought till next year!
Dorothy was thrilled with all the dolly pictures and EVEN the “commercial” ones! :o)
Kathie was HOPING for a nice Spring weekend, and what did she get? 5 inches of snow! Poor Kathie! By the way, I think the girl you forgot in the back row was Bella, a Ruby Red Fashion Friends doll… just thought I’d help you out…
Julia, you didn’t even know it, but when I read your post, I was feeling so bad for you… snow… no son to come and visit you, you wanted to go visit your dad, but couldn’t because of the snow, but when you said, “Sorry for being such a little rain cloud” I burst into the biggest smile. I don’t know why I thought that was so funny, but it was to me… I guess because you were being honest and that phrase captured “exactly” how you felt. I do hope things get better for you real soon!
Poor Barbara can’t get on her computer to comment because her kids are doing schoolwork on her computers. Poor grandma Barbara! I’m so sorry too, that you didn’t have time to get your dolls Easter dresses on and pictures taken. I know how you are feeling… I was thinking the same thing… maybe I’ll shoot for Fourth of July dresses as soon as I can! That sounds safe, but it will be here before we know it!
And Jane told us about a 100 year old man in Britain who walked 100 times around his back yard to raise 20 million pounds for health care.
Remember when your kids used to come home from school and just as they were getting tucked into bed, they said, “oh, and I told Mrs. Ramey I could bring 3 dozen cookies for snack time tomorrow….is that okay?” Well that’s kind of what happened to me this evening.
I made some face masks for Rebecca… She came home from the hospital today and said they all have to have masks by Saturday… we were thinking they would have had to have them before now, but I guess not. Anyway, she completely rummaged through all my fabrics, looking for who knows what. I have all these pretty prints and what did she pick? A piece of black denim with a bit of gold fleck in it. I told her as long as she had to wear something, why not wear something in a fun print… she’s my conservative…so “no.” Black it was… I tried the first one and it was an epic fail…
The second one was better…
…but she had to go to bed because she has the AM shift Saturday morning, so she has to get up at 4:15 or so… So… as much as I don’t want to… here I am, after my long day, no make up, hair a disaster, showing you her mask… I hope it fits her in the morning. :o)
I still think Hello Kitty, or butterflies, or the fabric I used for Jacey’s dress with the doggies on it would be more fun… but that’s just me.
Well, that’s it for now…
See you Monday,
Blessings, Jeanne
Mom to the rescue, huh?!
I’m with you on the fun prints for masks! I’ve made about 20 or so masks so far, mainly for friends and family, and most have been in fun prints. The guys, however, do seem to prefer something more “manly” than polka dots or butterflies, so for them I did prints with bears, stamps, stripes, etc. Still Kind of fun, but not as fun as butterflies, etc.!
I get bored easily, so I’ve done three or four different styles, making several of each at a time. The shaped masks (similar to what you’ve made) are the quickest to make, I think. I’ve done some with elastic, and some with a draw cord. We primarily wear the pleated ones with elastic, as those are what I made first. Now I’m taking a short break from making masks, and have started on a top for myself.
I’ve switched up which pattern to use, too… I actually can *produce* quickest with the flat, folded ones with a piece added to each end to run the elastic ‘through’. the surgical caps and head bands were the ‘least productive’ ones… but, I finally figured out how to sew the buttons on with my machine – that helped. (I’ve done that before, but, was a long time ago!) I’ve been using up my batik stash – supposedly – the weave is *tightest* on those and are a tad more protective. I can’t even SEE a reduction in my stash – so, that tells a story in itself, huh? sigh…
Same here, Mary–it will take Thousands of masks to use up my stash! I’ve been sewing since 1956, although I didn’t save fabrics back then, most of mine are from the 1970s onward….boxes and boxes!
Doing the elastic thru a casing like that would be easier, and also easier to replace if needed, too. Thanks for the idea.
Those requests have been coming right/left for me… started several weeks ago…(someplace) needs masks… so, production began…. assisted living homes, dr offices, hospitals, friends/family, Amazon workers, you name it geesh… today’s batch are for the local food pantry to hand out to people who don’t have them. I’m guessing nearly 300 items so far. People who have to wear them all day have been requesting head bands or surgical caps with buttons behind ear to attach the elastic to – their ears are getting too sore…. I’m taking a day or 2 off, now, tho – for some dolly play – my thumb tip is sore from pressing the cut thread button so frequently! It even looks *cracked*! …but, today, Hitty gets some attention. whew. 🙂 (Or maybe it’ll be the Rosette that’s supposed to arrive in the mail today!)
Ok, now I can laugh! I made a mask with the pleats like your first one. Followed the directions exactly and looked at many samples before. Darn thing simply would not fit my face and had a big gap on each side. I tried several times to alter the pleats and size to no avail. Also, was too thick for me to breathe through without feeling claustrophobic. Can’t imagine if I had added filtering fabric inside the purposely made interior pocket. Would have fainted from lack of air on the spot. Should have used the pattern for a more fitted mask like Rebecca’s. But, I’ve thrown in the towel on masks and returned to my old ski bandanna. Ties comfortably under my hair and can be pulled up or down as the need arises. Other person is using his old N95 from the fires. I think I’ll take my mask apart and use the pretty fabric for something else. When I saw a guy wearing a mask similar to Rebecca’s the other day, I thought, just draw on a couple of nostrils and he’d look like a pig. Might be funny to stick different things on the front every day. I know I would be doing that if I were an essential employee. As of yesterday, “everyone” around here must wear a mask when outdoors unless you are at least 6ft apart from others and indoors in any public place. Only place you’re safe without a mask is in the car. In fact, for several weeks, businesses have not even been allowing anyone to come in without a mask. Can’t bring in your own bags anymore either. I’m kind of surprised that your hospital hasn’t required them sooner, but maybe you don’t have many cases in your county. I’m so glad you shared your masks with us and tell Rebecca I like her fabric choice, of course, she needs a doggy Reuben nose on the front. 🙂
I’m with you, Jeanne, on having more colorful masks, or at least more friendly looking ones! But I have a daughter too, and we do not see eye to eye on most issues either! I find it funny when others without daughters, think it is so nice to have one and think that we all think alike and agree on everything! Never happens!
Well, at least the black mask shows up Rebecca’s pretty red hair, if nothing else!
I too am surprised Rebecca didn’t have to wear a mask, while working in a hospital. Just about everyone here wears them now, when out and about. I saw more than a couple of men wearing bandanas at the grocery store, looking like they were playing cops and robbers!
We were supposed to be in Branson this past week, but now, even Branson is a ghost town!
Linda, I forgot to ask you about one of the A G Easter dresses. Where did you get the white eyelet dress in the middle? I love it! I have a weakness for eyelet of any kind. I have some now that is white with pink embroidery. I want to make an Easter dress from it. I should do it now so it’s ready for next year. 😉
Julia, I love that dress too! I bought it maybe 7 years ago from a Canadian woman, who had a bunch of her eyelet dresses on EBay. Most of her dresses were the colored eyelet variety, but this one grabbed my attention immediately! I absolutely love eyelet, and this is a really beautiful piece of material. I actually think this dress would be easy to reproduce. It is basically a plain dress with an overlay of the eyelet part over the bodice. If you want a closer picture, I could accommodate that for you.
I have tried to look her up, ut she must no longer sell clothes on EBay. She might have even passed on, since she was an older woman. I am so glad to have this dress and have used it in the past for First Communion too, adding veil.
Oh how true your statement on daughters. I have both a daughter and a son and I can say my relationship with my son is amazing, and with his wife and two children. My daughter and I had a great relationship while she was growing up, but once she left for college she seemed to have trouble figuring out what our relationship was supposed to be. I didn’t see a difference in it other than she didn’t live home anymore. I actually thought it broadened in nature because, since we weren’t living together, we had more to share. But she couldn’t seem to relax and enjoy the new dynamic. Being political opposites doesn’t help either. I feel she’s entitled to her opinion, she has no desire to hear mine. It’s like walking through a field of land mines because I always worry about saying something that will start a confrontation. After college she married and twelve years later she had a son. Her husband likes it being the three of them so we take what we can get when we can get it. I worry that someday she will realize what she gave up and feel guilty, but in the meantime we pray a lot that things will change and keep in touch as much as she’ll let us.
I too love the white eyelet dress a lot. I have a beautiful piece of eyelet I want to make some dresses out of, but I keep putting it off looking for the “perfect” pattern. Seeing your dress puts me in the mood to do something with my fabric.
Today the sun is shinning and most of the snow is gone. My little rain cloud is gone, too! Smiling is good, Jeanne, so I’m glad the rain cloud had that result. I’ve been working on masks and have had more failures than successes. I will try the shaped one. Maybe that will work better. I have dark blue denim with silver sparkles! I’m making some for hubs and son in the dull boring fabrics they prefer. Sparkles will be mine!
Whew, I’m back. My connection to our internet hasn’t been working since late Wednesday
I’m also for fun face mask, anything to cheer things up. I”ll have to go back now and see what all I’ve missed- Rebecca’s room finishing for sure. I’ll comment again late… provided I can stay connected. ;-o
Ok, I’m also surprised Rebecca hasn’t had to wear a mask ( or wanted to) before now. We’re suppose to wear one just going outside. I see neighbor with them on ( I am as well) to take out trash or be in the yard and we have to to go to the store.
Everyone’s dolls look so sweet in their Easter finery. I felt I had accomplished a real feat getting my one doll in Addy’s plaid summer set- no basket or anything else, just the dress set.
Linda, I love eyelet as well. I had a lovely white eyelet blouse as a young child.
That bird of paradise is lovely, Joy. Guess I could try one in a container and drag in into the sunroom come fall.
I’ve been making masks as well. Had to think for a day or two and decided to make my own pattern. I sent Jeanne a copy of the directions I made for my daughter-in-law’s client who wanted to make masks for retirement home residents. Maybe she will critique it. Had to do it on the phone as my pictures aren’t transferring from the phone in a unusable format to transfer to an email, probably the same problem Jeanne had. Wish I could fix it.
The masks are fabric but not reusable unless washed immediately after returning home or, even better, before entering your car and placed in a plastic Baggie so whatever is on it isn’t transferred to the steering wheel or the house. I use Lens Wipes when taking off a mask and when putting in numbers on purchase terminals in stores. Take the mask off using the elastic bands or other attaching findings, not the fabric of the mask. Wash between each time it’s used outside of the house. The procedure masks in hospitals are designed to be totally disposable after entering a patient’s room or after a procedure. The first thing that happened immediately upon realizing the virus was rampant was a law being passed to allow hospitals to authorize use of procedure masks instead of N95 masks to protect the hospitals from liability even before they were recommended for the general public. Do not use vacuum cleaner filter material inserts in the masks.
The virus is able to be transferred to shoes. Imagine how much is lying around on the floors at markets and Costco. Remove shoes outside in the garage especially when working in a hospital. Wear different shoes indoors. Our family has not worn shoes indoors since living in Japan where one wouldn’t dream of wearing shoes indoors.
I’ve enjoyed all the doll pictures which make me smile, especially the two with the happy smiles themselves. Haven’t had time to comment. Thanks! Happy mask making!
Love Rebecca’s mask…I have to say I liked the black too…but I made kid/teen ones in fun fabrics and adults the plainer fabrics. I’ll send Jeanne a pic of my DIL wearing hers…she actually liked it😉. I got the pattern off of Shelley Thornton’s website. It is the more fitted style.( She makes those fantastic fabric dolls..their hair is even fabric). When I printed off the pattern it was doll sized so enlarged it on my printer to 189% which was one of the pre set sizes and it was perfect
Linda I would love to see close ups of the white eyelet dress too. It was my favorite also and have quite a stash of vintage eyelet. Looks like everyone has been helpful making masks! Repaired 8 dolls for one lady this week…so today I’m going to work on a quilt !
Enjoy your TV church tomorrow🤪
Kathie, I will take a couple of close-ups of the eyelet dress and send to Jeanne.