Well, hello there.
I hope you have been well in the past... oh, half a year ... 😬 since I checked in here. Golly, that's simply hard to believe. But the dates don't lie. And besides, we have been collectively in *outer space* it seems for the past 4 months. How come it seems like it's been about a year since March and since the Pandemic hit?
March 16th, 2020 was a really strange day, and maybe you remember this date as well as I do. I was at my full time day job when the announcement was made we would all be transitioning to working remotely due to the Governor's stay-at-home order. So a hasty departure was made, and we all thought this might last for 2-3 weeks. Well, here we are 4 months later and we are still working remotely, and continuing to survive one of the most unusual times in modern history.
I was very thankful to have my job and for the availability to work remote. Even though I was working from home, I also have a private art studio that houses the work I create for Val's Art Studio felt and textiles, so was able to leave home to make the 5 minute drive over the bridge and work both my jobs in my studio. But before I knew it, worry set in, as all the maker's markets were soon cancelled, Open Studio cancelled, and visits to my Etsy shop dried up. My local shops selling my work all closed due to the Pandemic. All of the sudden, I realized that with no income coming in from my art, I would be faced with closing my studio. My heart sank.....
About the same time, my neighbor encouraged me to put my sewing skills to use and asked me to make her a face mask. She jokingly suggested that while I was at it, I might make face masks for all the elderly neighbors on our block. So, I found a pattern I liked on YouTube, and managed to work through the terrible translations to make a mask that seemed to be a good design. Once I posted the above two photos on my Facebook page, well... the rest was history. By the end of that day, I had orders for over 100 face masks!
About that same time, Kristin, who is one of the founders of San Diego Made, where my studio is located, agreed to partner with me in making face masks. Amazingly, she had found the same face mask pattern, and the two of us compiled our fabric, interfacing, muslin, elastic and sewing skills. The orders poured in like crazy, and before we knew it, we had more orders than we could handle, and so we took over a good portion of the San Diego Made Factory for our face mask operation.
We enlisted lots of help. My mom sewed for us, and Sarah, who is another one of the founders of SD Made, both volunteered their time and skills to assist. We hired Kei as well, whose eye for details keeps Kristin and my work looking sharp and fine. Kristin and I were already friends, but our shared desire to help the cause brought us even closer together. Plus, we are both Virgos, so need I say more??!!
Pretty soon, we were receiving large orders, as everyone loved the style and fit of our face masks, and once they order for themselves, they reorder for friends and family, or even so they have a different face mask for each outfit in their wardrobe! Who can blame them?!
One company ordered 300 masks with a one week turnaround. The photo above shows our tremendous production. We made up all these face masks in 3 days!
Kristin and I are alike in so many ways and we work so well together that we decided to form a new business together; Twofold Textiles. We are two women making twice the impact, twofold using art and textiles. 💞
We support small artists who design their own fabrics. You won't find our fabrics in any fabric shops!
We also support local businesses by sewing face masks for them featuring their logo. Look at these beautiful face masks for Be Kind Vibes. You can check out Matt's shop here: https://www.bekindvibes.com/collections/accessories
And recently, we donated our time and materials to make 50 face masks for A New PATH, helping them to raise funds for this important organization. A New PATH works to reduce stigma associated with addictive illness through education and compassionate support, and to advocate for therapeutic rather than punitive drug policies. Click here to learn more: https://www.anewpath.org/
I am really not joking when I say face masks have saved me. This adventure has grown me in many new ways, and for all of it I am very grateful. Mostly, I am excited for what the future holds, as Kristin and I venture together using our sewing skills to make a heartfelt difference in our world.
If you are interested in checking out our face masks, you can find them in my shop: https://bit.ly/HandmadeMask. Our Twofold Textile shop is coming together and we will be opening up our etsy shop very soon!
My Val's Art Studio felt and art work is still being created, just on a slower scale than before.
And, last of all, I cannot end this post without pointing out that my hair, like so many things in our collective world, has gone "Covid"! Yes, I have let my hair grow out, and an getting used to this other "new normal," hah!
Thanks for checking in with me. Take care, you!
xx,
Val
