Welcome once again to ScrapHappy Day!
It’s the day my friend Gun in Sweden and I host ScrapHappy, a day for showing something made from scraps.
It’s only a small one this month, as endless photos of blocks you’ve seen before, only quilted, are not interesting for anyone.
I love my local library, and my local librarian, Sally. She has boundless energy and enthusiasm for her job, and we share many tastes in books. I strolled in there the other day wearing one of my home made masks, since we’re back on mask wearing in any indoor setting due to Omnicrom. She admired it on sight, and while in any other situation, I’d have whipped it off, stuck it in its plastic bag and given it to her, obviously that’s not a good idea right now. So as I had enough scrap of the same fabric, and time, I got snipping and stitching and made her one for herself. She has a black uniform shirt, so I think it’ll add a cheerful note.
The Husband gets the disposable surgical masks from work, and I used a spare to dismantle it and use the elastic, nose wire and blue lining material to make Sally a triple layer mask. Outer as you see, inner made from a tightly woven batik, and the blue in the middle. These masks are washable, and when the strips holding the nose wire and elastics eventually disintegrate after too many washes, I can just run a ripper along the stitching, remove the old ones and replace with fresh wire and elastic. That hasn’t happened yet on any of the masks I’ve made for myself or the Husband, so maybe they’ll last us out. I like the pattern, as I can wear it for ages without discomfort and without my glasses fogging up.
ScrapHappy is open to anyone using up scraps of anything – no new materials. It can be a quilt block, pincushion, bag or hat, socks or a sculpture. Anything made of genuine scraps is eligible. If your scrap collection is out of control and you’d like to turn them into something beautiful or useful instead of leaving them to collect dust in the cupboard, why not join us on the 15th of each month? Either email me at the address on my Contact Me page, or leave a comment below. You can also contact Gun via her blog to join. We welcome new members. You don’t have to worry about making a long term commitment or even join in every month, just let either of us know a day or so in advance if you’re new and you’ll have something to show, so we can add your link. Regular contributors will receive an email reminder three days before the event.
Here are the links for everyone who joins ScrapHappy from time to time (they may not post every time, but their blogs are still worth looking at). Bear, your email address appears to be not working, so I wasn’t able to send you a reminder, sorry. If you’ve changed it, can you please let me know?
Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy, Jill,
Claire, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,
Claire, Jean, Jon, Dawn, Jule, Gwen,
Bekki, Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera,
Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2, Bear, Carol,
Preeti, Edith, Debbierose
See you next time for more scrappy loveliness.
talltalesfromchiconia 
Good morning 🤍
I love the colour of the mask 😷
I think I need to revamp mine as well as numbers here are very high we have not really had a respite from mask wearing 😷
New elastics and wires might make them more comfy again… Everyone has at least one these days, but I like to colour coordinate with my outfit!
Well, that certainly complies with the scrappy rules. All parts were scrap. I’m ready for masking to be done as every mask I used fogs up the glasses because my breathing to too heavy in the struggle for air. I hate leaving the house for that reason unless it’s a walk in the open air. Such a pretty fabric too.
Isn’t it pretty? Formal without being heavy, and I dearly love red and white!
I’m sure your librarian will love it too.
The mask is great! I’m sure your librarian friend will really appreciate it!
We’re up to N-95s being recommended/required in some places because the Omicron infection rate has gotten so bad here — much worse than anything during the Delta surge.
So far, we’ve avoided that particular hurdle. It’s already virtually impossible to get hold of Rapid Antigen Test kits unless you’re a medical professional or institution, so if we all needed N-95s nobody would be able to leave the house. The thinking is that we’ll peak next week, with 90% of the population doubled vaxed. Time will tell, but in the meantime, we can at least wear gorgeous fabric masks!
I never thought of classing up a regular blue mask with a cloth cover! I like that idea of having the security of a proper mask with the personality of a homemade one.
It isn’t so much a cover as a cannibalisation of the main ingredients! I find these much more comfortable as I can tweak the shape to fit an individual face much more easily without leaving gaps around the outside.
This is fabulous Kate. I bet you are now that librarian’s favorite patron!
I hope so, but of course, she’d need a lot more masks to make it regular wear. I shall wait to be asked, no point in bombarding people with stuff they don’t need/want.
That is a very cheerful mask… which besides its protection efficiency has become apparent is a necessity of the ongoing Covid saga.
Isn’t it? We can’t buy test kits at all up here, and masks are somewhat restricted because of stupid panic buying.
No RATs here either!
National shortage, I reckon. Just as we were allowed to self-test… perfect timing, as usual.
Very pretty mask. Everyone here has at least two (unless they’re the disposable ones) – one is always always always left hanging over the gear stick in the car…. My current favourite is black with sequins, got a bit of an Elvis look to it
The Husband always has one in his work pants pocket, there’s always one in the central console of the car, and I have one or two in my purse, depending on how long I’m out. It’s almost as instinctive as checking I have my phone, now. I like the Vegas sound of the black sequins!
It IS a pretty classy look, even if I say so myself. Going to go for purple next time, just to mix things up a bit….
Classy is always a good look! I think you owe us a photo, though…
Fair enough. Working up to a selfie….
[…] Joining in with Kate and her band of happy scrappers for Scrap Happy January. […]
I love wearing my homemade washable masks, made for me by a friend. Yours is pretty. I am using up odd bits of yarn ends this month: https://daffodilwild.wordpress.com/2022/01/15/scrap-happy-january/
So much more responsible than consuming endless raw materials and causing a waste disposal issue…
[…] Meantime do pop over to Kate’s to see what others have been doing with their scraps to make them happy. Link here- https://talltalesfromchiconia.wordpress.com/2022/01/15/scraphappy-january-6/ […]
What a lucky librarian. I reckon she will be chuffed to bits.
I hope so, I didn’t get to give it to her in person. Her colleague was excited, though!
so thoughtful and kind.
She has very good, but also very utilitarian masks on whenever I see her. I thought it was time to jolly things up a bit.
absolutely! A fab spot of #Kindness #PayItForward and #CheeryUppy 😉
And I’ve just noticed that Bekki’s link doesn’t work any more.
Yes, I’ve just seen that too, and I’m going to have to take it down, as she hasn’t responded to my email prompt about it. It is actually past time to do a little pruning of the list, so I’ll be using an updated version next time.
cool. I think she’s mostly on instagram now.
Sadly, I’m not…
I’ll try and pm her about your email. x
Nice! Over the past two years I have made quite a lot of face masks and now have a comfy version that we both like, but somehow I have never gifted one. What a lovely gesture.
If they have to be part of our daily wear, it might as well be aesthetically pleasing 😉
I so agree… plus I hate the throw-away nature of many masks. I know they have their place, but many of us are ok with reusable ones.
She’ll love it. 😷 My batch of fabric masks is gathering dust as we have been required to wear surgical or FFP2/KN95 masks for quite some time. Numbers are now going through the roof around here. One the plus side, RATs are sold by every supermarket or drugstore, or you can have yourself tested at mobile testing sites.
We’re *supposed* to be able to buy them in supermarkets, but so far the stock has not been forthcoming. Our part of the country is comparatively sparsely populated, and I think they are prioritising denser urban populations.
I find the pleated masks – more like the siposable ones – fit me best but maybe it is time to make some new ones just because I am bored with the old ones! I did see a lady in town with one completely covered in red sequins – very party-ish!
It sounds very glamorous, but I wonder how well she can breathe through all the glitz!
Good question! It did look a bit odd for shopping on a weekday morning!
… in the winter! I’d have thought something a bit cosier would have been more comforting. Still, perhaps it was cheering her up.
Smart use of the wire! You always inspire😊. I am sure a new mask will a a bit of joy to the wearing of them❤️
It inspired me to make a couple of new ones for myself, I was getting very bored with my existing options!
Love the fabric used for the mask. And great idea on the liner and wire.
Isn’t it lovely? A remnant I picked up on a trip a couple of years ago (because let’s face it, there haven’t been any useful trips recently!) and it didn’t fit with any current projects but was too pretty to leave in the cupboard once I’d made my own mask from it.
isn’t it sad that 2 years on and we still need masks – still yours is a very cheerful one ^^
But luckily, two years on and we’re still around to need them!
very pretty. Hope Sally likes it.
I think she will 😊
Great idea! Sweden is the only country in the world, I think, that doesn´t say Wear masks! Odd, isn´t it? So we use them when we go to hospitaland and care center or take the bus!
That sounds…. crazy! But I think I’d be wearing one anyway, too.
Lovely bright and thoughtful gift.
Just because it’s necessary and useful doesn’t mean it can’t also be pretty and fun.
Very pretty mask. I’m sure your librarian will be very happy. I have a large assortment of pleated masks I’ve made. I like the ones that have the ties because I can make them tighter. Never thought of using the disposable ones between the two layers of fabric. I’m going to give that a try.
It’s prettier and I guess any extra layers just help to make it more effective!
[…] Once a month, bloggers world-wide are encouraged to share a project our two made entirely out of scraps. To learn more about this ScrapHappy venture, be sure to check out Kate’s blog. […]