Whoa. Just Whoa.
Like most sewists around the nation, I’m discovering a few things:
- Communities are coming together in a supporting, caring, and loving way.
- We were all drastically underprepared for what our lives are like in an age of Covid-19.
- People need/want masks. Lots of masks. My own personal requests are up to the 400s.
Wearing my mask, I waited for 30 minutes just to get INTO Wegmans last weekend. And I was grateful to do so. I was thankful for the folks working to restock and thankful I could stock up on food, so we didn’t have to grocery shop again for a while. As requests pour into my in box for masks to keep families safe, although it’s overwhelming at times, I am grateful I have something to share to help in this moment.
So, I wanted to take a minute and write a note of gratitude.
I didn’t expect to be making masks for weeks on end – and for that to be the only thing I would make and the only orders I would fill for a little while. Early on, like a lot of people, I resisted sewing masks because it didn’t seem like it was going to be the answer to the problem. I made some for close friends in the healthcare industry who asked. That was it.
But three weeks later, here we are.
For weeks, folks have been sewing in their homes to send to hospitals and clinics. For weeks, businesses have been trying to respond to the needs of this crisis – to get more supplies and to support the folks who are at home sewing them. There are masks being donated, sold, and sought just about everywhere you look.
So I want to say thank you – to everyone who is working hard in these trying times, to everyone who is figuring out how to protect your friends and loved ones, and to everyone who is so patiently asking for a few masks. Small businesses like mine thank you for your support and your patience.
I feel like I can’t make enough. Even if I were to sew every waking hour… I’m not sure it would be enough.
But I do hope that I can help make a dent in the demand for these masks. Early on, my pre-order prices were simply to cover costs, but since this has taken over everything else, as of April 14, I have raised my prices slightly to help cover the labor costs as well. This was not a decision that I took lightly – I do not want to “profit” from crisis.
Because it’s getting harder to manage the sheer volume of personal requests, I will be stocking my website every other day, with what I have available to ship. I will continue to donate my time and talent where it is needed, but I have to account for the time it takes to make them – so I also thank you for understanding how I have decided to price them moving forward.
If you cannot afford them at these prices, please reach out to me and I will do the best that I can to help you obtain masks to protect you and your family.
Thank you for staying home to flatten the curve – or working hard in harm’s way to keep the rest of us fed and safe. Thank you for your support and your patience. And thank you for your kindness – it is in crisis we often see the stronger, brighter side of humanity.
Stay safe and healthy,
Jaclyn