We are well here in Buehlerland. Staying busy. Doing college online (the kiddo), going to work (the hubster). Sewing (me). In fact, making masks has become my new mission in life. When I first saw the news and heard there wasn't enough PPE for healthcare workers, I'm going to admit it passed over me. When I saw it a second time, it caught my attention and I started having in depth conversations with people about 'just enough' purchasing and year end cost savings and risk assessment for various types of equipment. They were clinical discussions and while I walked away understanding how there could be shortages, it was still removed from me. Happening over there. Not here. And then the calls started coming in for handmade, homesewn facemasks. Nurses, firemen, police, nursing home aides, vet techs, police, military, clerks at the gas station... The calls came in from everywhere and it was right here. HERE. And it was real. So I started sewing. And before and ran out of supplies I determined NOT to run out so I waited an hour to get in the local fabric shop. An hour at the cutting table, and 30 minutes in line at the register but I was able to buy 62 yards of fabric and enough thread (I hope!) to sew 20 masks a day for the forseeable future because "20 a day keeps the virus away."
The need is overwhelming and in addition to taking care of the healthcare workers we've committed to supporting, members of my sewing circle are now getting requests from all sides; parents, friends, extended family, neighbors, various essential workers not in the healthcare industry... we’ve gone from sewing for nurses to sewing for the world and that’s just fine. We're determined to sew for everyone!
I'm hearing about how hard this is from a lot of folks. How fear and uncertainty and boredom, not from a lack of things to do but from a lack of knowing where to start, is creeping in and sometimes taking over. Whatever you're feeling, you ARE NOT alone. You may be sitting there looking at a screen by yourself, but YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Social distancing does not have to equal emotional distancing. Take a moment and read that again. Social distancing DOES NOT HAVE TO equal emotional distancing. If you don't where to start today, consider reaching out to someone and starting a simple conversation. And if you don't feel you have anyone you can reach out to... If you don't know where to start... Reach out to me and I will meet you in the middle of the mayhem and we'll sit together until you feel like you can begin again. #KeepGoing #BuehlerLIfe
