You know this scene. You’re driving down the highway, and you pass a broken-down car, the unfortunate occupant staring at all the cars (like yours) passing by.

When I drive by a broken-down car on the road, I always feel bad…like I wish I could suddenly acquire the knowledge to repair a shredded drive belt or could effortlessly change a flat time. Or find the source of a transmission fluid leak.

But I can’t do any of those things.

And so I cruise on down the highway, trying not to meet the gaze of the hapless driver waiting for help.

And I always vow that if ever I drive by someone with a sewing problem, I would pull over in a flash. Because a sewing problem I could actually do something about.

Picture yourself on the side of the road, that deer-in-the-headlights stare in your eyes. Be assured that if you find yourself stranded on the side of the road having trouble:

• threading your needle
• cutting bias tape
• aligning corners
• quilting by hand
• smoothing convex seams

that I will be there for you.

And because I’d always made this silent vow that I would help a stranger if a problem required sewing, I am now sewing masks.

There’s much to be sad about during the Covid-19 era. And there’s much to be mad about during the Covid-19 era (specifically politicians who claimed the virus would disappear “like a miracle”?) Or people who own cases of N95 masks and rather than donate them to hospitals or at least sell them for their value of 85 cents, drive up the price to 5 or 6 dollars. Apiece. Don’t get me started.

But there’s also much to be glad about. I’m grateful to the health care workers who risk their lives to save others. I’m impressed by the ingenuity of governors and mayors. I’m touched by sites that send pizzas to health care workers. And I’m inspired by the work that everyday people can do such as sewing.

In this article for CNN, Harmeet Kaur and Tami Luhby detailed how “People Around the Country Are Sewing Masks.”

So I’ve been sewing masks for health care workers. There are several patterns out there, some more complicated than others, and different medical centers have preferences. Here are some of my efforts:

This is the pleated style. The pleats open out when you put it on.

This is the vertical seam style (with another pleated mask in the foreground).

What about you readers? How have you been affected by Covid-19? If any of you sewers (as in people who sew, not waste repositories, haha!) are interested in sewing masks, leave a comment and I’ll send you the information I have.

About three years and three months ago I wrote a post called Making Bandages because I was so disturbed by the results of the election and so fearful of what might happen under the command of our new leader. I see now I was right to be worried; our current state of infection and loss is so much worse than it might have been with someone else at the helm—someone less interested in a public image and more interested in saving lives.

Now I just hope my small effort of sewing masks will be a help to someone out there.