Firstly a little about the lockdown. We are currently on Day 13 as lockdown started for us from midnight on Saturday 14th March. It's been very strict from Day one, which I feel is the best way to go. I do not feel that my freedom is being taken away from me, I hope that this will help save lives and certainly help to ease the strain on the Spanish health service. For example, we are only allowed out to go to the supermarket to buy food, to the pharmacy for medication, you can walk a dog but only 50 metres from your home, and it must be just one person, you cannot walk in pairs. No cycling or jogging, no meeting up with friends or family, you can only stay with those you live with. And only one person per car except if you are taking a vulnerable person to a medical appointment. And fines are pretty high. Police are checking where you go and you have to prove where you've been. So yes, pretty strict. The number of people who've died from the virus is very high here in Spain, so if it works, and saves some lives then I'm more than happy to do as I'm told.
So what have I been doing with myself? Well I started out with the intention of making some doll outfits. I got all the pattern files out, I printed off some new patterns, I sorted through my fabrics and cut out a few outfits. I started by making a pair of tiny overalls for my friends doll. I cut them out wrong, and then when I'd recut them, so I sewed them up back to front. I really could not concentrate, so I decided to stop that and sit and read. I've read two or three books but my mind keeps wandering. I've been spending so much of my time chatting on line, looking at the BBC news, Facebook, YouTube, everything apart from doing something productive with my time.
That is until a couple of days ago when I had the idea to sew some face masks for myself and Brian....then I thought "what about the neighbours?" So I got started, it was fun to match the fabrics to the personalities of my friends....and so it started! I have now made 22 masks and distributed them amongst the neighbours. One friend has a fabric printed with items of clothing, another has one with little Scotty dogs all over, another has doggy pawprints. A few of the men have skull and cross bones!!! Others have fish, or flowers. I even got an offer from someone who doesn't live here to buy some but instead she has made a donation to our local Animal Rescue charity because with the lockdown they cannot open their charity shop which they depend on for income. So that's what I've been up to!
Waiting for the pleats to be put in.....
All neatly ironed!!
I asked my friends to share selfies with me of them in their masks, so here are a few of them!!!
Thank you to my lovely friends and neighbours for being good sports and wearing the masks, I hope they help to keep you safe and free from harm when you go to the supermarket or walk your dogs.
I hope every one of you who reads my blog keeps safe and well. Please don't take risks with your lives or those of your loved ones, it really isn't worth it. And I would just like to add a special shout out for all the health care workers, street sanitisers, refuse collectors, supermarket and pharmacy staff, and anyone else in one of these critical jobs, who're helping to keep us safe. THANK YOU!!
Big hugs Sharon in Spain xx