Nobody owes you a mask

So it’s been a month or so that we have all been staying physically distant. Recently the CDC added a recommendation to wear a mask when we must be outdoors. Of course, the craftiest folks immediately starting sewing their own, and then it happened.

oh I’d love one of those!

how much to make me one?

do you have any more fabric?

And one by one I’ve watched my friends who sew either fend off these demands, or give in to them until they’re exhausted. I’ve watched Etsy shops stock up, sell out, and then post notes that they’re out of fabric for making masks.

I’m going to add to the weight of this the folks I imagine are complaining about $15-20 for a handmade mask when mass produced ones are so much cheaper.

There are numerous videos on YouTube on how to cobble your own mask even if you don’t sew or don’t have much time. Most of the ones I’ve seen involve a little cutting and folding at most.

You can do the thing, and you should! (Well I assume most of you can. Not trying to dig at folks who might be disabled, obviously.)

Also? Crafting is a skill. Sewing, crochet, knitting, all take time to learn and hours to produce on top of the material cost. Not everyone is interested in commoditizing their hobby, and that’s a reasonable thing.

I’ll part with a quick note: if someone’s response to learning that I went to culinary school is “when are you going to cook for me?” They are not a friend and I don’t let them into my circle. Same with crafting stuff. I love to share things but the minute someone puts an expectation on it, the expectation sucks the joy out of it.

I hope you are well, practicing your physical distancing to the best of your ability, and taking care of yourself as best you can. Be kind to yourselves, and maybe be a little extra kind to your crafter friends ok?