A number of our guild members have reached out to me with ideas for how we can help during this pandemic. I’m feeling so thankful to be a part of such a generous and giving organization! Quilters are the best, and Seattle Modern Quilt Guild members are particularly fantastic.
100 Million Masks
UPDATE TO THIS POST: Thanks to an overwhelming response from the community, all kits Providence produced have been claimed! There will likely be more opportunities for our guild to help, we will share them as they come up. Here is the original post content:
Providence has created a 100 Million Masks Challenge, to support health care workers so they can safely care for patients. The challenge is starting in our Western Washington region, since we are the hit the hardest by the COVID-19 virus.
There is a global shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and this is how we can help, by sewing medical face masks.
Providence is seeking volunteers who are willing to sew 100 masks each. They will provide the materials. Kits will be available for pickup in Renton, WA on Monday, March 23rd. Visit their website for more details, and I encourage you to register on their site as they may be offering more pickup sites as things progress.
Since we continue to practice social distancing, please take this on yourself or with a friend or two. We won’t be collecting masks as a guild, but by working independently, we can make a huge difference.
How to Sew a Face Mask
One of our members shared this face mask tutorial she came across, from Deaconess Hospital in Indiana. I would recommend reaching out to your local hospital or health care provider to see what their needs are, as they may be slightly different than what is described in this tutorial. And instructions may come with the materials that Providence is provided.
Help a friend!
Do you know someone in the guild who may be isolated due to COVID-19 restrictions? Please reach out to them and offer help. If someone is quarantined, they may not be able to get out to get groceries, go to the pharmacy, etc. Offer to pick things up for them and leave the bags outside their door. Small tasks can add up to big help!
People have also been using established networks like nextdoor.com to connect with their neighbors who might need a hand right now. Nextdoor is an online resource where communities can come together to share resources, get tips on local businesses, and organize group tasks. If you haven’t done it yet, join your neighborhood on Nextdoor and get/offer help.
If you yourself are a guild member who is isolated and needs some assistance, please email seattlemodernquiltguild@gmail.com to let us know how we can help.
How to Keep Kids Busy
If you have kids or grandkids at home with you, by now you may be desperate for ideas to keep them busy. I remember being fascinated with fabric scraps as a kid, turning them into clothespin dolls, turtles from walnut shells and felt (don’t forget the googly eyes), and bandages for my injured GI Joes. (OK, I’m really dating myself here! Hopefully a few of you at least remember clothespin dolls!)
Here are some resources I found online for entertaining your kiddos with a bag of fabric scraps, which I’m 100 percent sure you can provide! Some are no-sew options:
April Guild Meeting: going online!
We are going to try sharing our April 8th Guild Meeting as a Zoom Webinar. You will be able to connect online via your computer, smart phone, or tablet device with an internet connection. We hope to record the meeting so you can watch it later, if you aren’t able to sign in when it is happening. It will be kind of like watching a show: you can watch and hear, but we won’t be able to see or hear you. There will, however, be a Q&A sidebar so you can type in questions as the meeting is going. You will get an email with a link and directions for joining the meeting. More info to come!
Virtual Sew and Tell
For the April meeting, I would love to do a Virtual Sew and Tell! Please email 1-2 images of your finished quilt projects to seattlemodernquiltguild@gmail.com and I will add them to the slideshow to be seen during the meeting. Remember to include your name, quilt size, and any details you’d like to share about the quilt.
Through March: take a free Blueprint class!
March is National Craft Month, and Bluprint has all your crafting needs in one place! Celebrate the joy of crafting by learning a new skill! Get a FREE class! Click here to choose a class and use code BLU4YOU at checkout.
(Inter)National Quilting Day
Saturday, March 21st is International Quilting Day! Mavis Reynolds @mavisreyn of Canada had this great idea that she is sharing via Instagram: hang one of your quilts outside your home, take a photo, and post it to IG using these hashtags: #internationalquiltingday #internationalquiltingday2020 #nationalquiltingday #nationalquiltingday2020 #seattlemqg #seattlemqgsewathome
seattle modern quilt guild 
I registered, and would be overjoyed to sew masks, BUT (1) I live without a car and (2) I am “old” so not going anywhere! I live on Capitol Hill and wonder if anyone who is planning to pick up materials and return masks would do that for me, dropping off materials at my door? I understand that the Renton pickup might not work, but I suspect there will be closer ones.
Thank you for offering to help sew masks, Harriet! Members: are any of you able to help by dropping materials off for Harriet on Capitol Hill?
I suspect they will add a pickup place nearer here, and neighbors would go there for themselves and for me.
Has Harriet been assisted yet? We first responders in Thurston just received masks donated by Washington Stars Quilt Guild. I’m willing to go out of my way to supply someone thoughtful enough to donate their time to help the community.
Hi Jack, if you have materials for sewing masks, please contact the main guild email address with details: seattlemodernquiltguild@gmail.com
Thanks so much!
– David Owen Hastings, SMQG President