windsor quilters guild

Now that wearing a mask is mandatory a lot of questions have arisen.

Is it safe to pull down my mask and keep it under my chin? No, that is probably the worst thing to do with a mask.  It risks getting droplets or germs on the outside of the mask onto your chin and lower lip. It also involves touching the front of the mask which is not recommended as it could contaminate your hands.You should only hold the mask by the ear loops and wash your hands before and after.

What’s the best way to stow a mask while on the go? Dr. Anad Kumar (professor of medicine at the university of Manitoba)recommends storing your face mask in a paper bag, envelope or something that won’t retain moisture if you will be wearing it again.

Can you reuse a disposable mask? Obviously cloth masks can be washed and re-used. Most paper masks are one use only.

How effective are alternatives to masks, such as bandanas, balaclavas and neck gaiters? While they are allowed as face coverings, none of them work very well to block respiratory droplets and may actually be worse than no face covering at all. Neck gaiters tend to break large droplets into smaller ones creating more particles that stay airborne longer and potentially increasing transmission.

What if I have to sneeze or cough when I’m wearing my mask? In short: Do it into your mask and into the crook of your arm. The mask’s whole purpose is to try to stop some of the droplets spewing from your mouth and nose. After you’ve sneezed or coughed you should “swap it for another one.”

A Quilter is someone who…

saves ten boxes of scrap, has one corner of the house an eternal mess, when on vacation goes to the fabric shops in every town, loves flea markets, finds many bargains, is always looking for new ideas, spends sleepless nights thinking about colour combinations, has a teetering pile of quilting books and magazines in her room, is always picking up pins and bits of thread from the floor, has a callous on her index finger, is always looking for more quilt patterns, begs her friends for remnants, works for a year on a quilt and then gives it away, watches t.v. with a needle in her hand, is forever ironing (not clothes but quilts), is never bored, knows one hundred patterns by heart, can get it all together, and always finds time to help a friend.

Thanks to Rosalyn F. Manesse for this light hearted look at quilters.