Masks Sold Out
On Wednesday night, at our weekly Scrabble game, my friend Renata and I started talking about an idea we’d both had… to decorate the ubiquitous flu masks. We decided that it was now or never. So Thursday morning I got up to go to my 7.30 yoga class and went directly to her place to get started on our adventure. We knew that masks were in short supply, so we contacted Renata’s friend who has a medical supply business. Turned out she was in Mexico City, but she made several recommendations, so we headed to various locations.
At one medical supply place they said they would have more after 5pm. So back to our original idea: sew the masks. We went exploring and found that we were not the only ones who had the idea to make masks… in the fabric store there were tons of people buying the fabric. And the elastic was sold out!
But we eventually found some and set up shop at our friend Rosemary’s place. We created an assembly line for cutting, sewing, threading the elastic through the sides and then ironing on our images.
A little before six we ran out of elastic. I trekked over to the medical supply store and was told, “10 masks per customer.” So we sent friends over to get more. I also went to get more elastic at a little shop where the news was blaring, “wash hands frequently. Wear masks. Avoid crowds…” I asked the shopkeeper what he thought of all the news and he said he hasn’t seen the media go quite so loco since “the Twin Towers.”
When I got back we finished as many as we could with the supplies we had. Exhausted, we decided it was time to close up shop and go to the square to sell our wares. We listened to Cuban music, chatted with friends and sold masks.
Laura with Scream
Renata with Virgen de Guadalupe
Early Thursday morning we made more masks. They are for sale in Renata’s shop the Quinto Real
http://www.quintoreal.com.mx/
And I have some masks here with us in San Miguel, where we are visiting our friends and having a relaxing weekend. The calm after the storm of mask making.
More masks below
Renata's daughter with Speak No Evil Monkey
Renata with Funky Pirate Smiley Face
Renata with Porky Pig
Naomi with pig snout
Naomi with moustache
