After three years of being at Trinity, moving home was an adjustment. The biggest change was not having all of my usual extracurriculars for channelling my creative energy. Normally, after class and work and studying, I would hang out with friends or do some graphic design or artwork. None of those options existed within this new reality.
So, what does a crafty person do when they are stuck at home? Start a project! I have always been a project enthusiast, but this undertaking left me feeling a different kind of accomplishment. The idea came pretty early on when an apparent need was identified: masks. Medical professionals were running out of masks and were not being provided with sufficient protective gear. I started making masks that were washable and reusable, meant to be worn over the hospital-issued N-95 masks in order to prolong their use.
Not long after my first batch was sent to doctors, the CDC started recommending that people wear masks when they left their houses. I started making more and more masks, not only for people who were saving lives but those who simply wanted the freedom to pick up groceries. I had no idea when I started that I would make more than 400 masks in one month. When I was not in class or working on homework, I was cutting fabric, ironing, pinning, pleating, snipping, and sewing. I was filling orders to make masks and donating whatever I could from each batch.
Even stuck at home, it is an incredible feeling to be proactive and productive. It keeps me from the alternative: sitting on my couch, exhausting all of the streaming content the internet had to offer (well… I still did that, but while sewing). People can abide by CDC recommendations while accessorizing with a fun pattern to brighten their spirits. I am happy to be a part of this positive effort, though I am looking forward to my next sewing project being something a little more “normal,” like a new dress! Maybe even with a matching mask.