It’s always thrilling when I sell a particular design for the first time, just to know that somebody out there likes something which I liked as well.

Today and yesterday I sold my first two VW camper van face masks. I loved making these, not just because it allows me to dream of owning my own one day but also because the cutting out process is a bit more interesting than just cutting plain fabric, having to place the template strategically and trying to make sure there is not too much wastage, although inevitably there is (so my patchwork pile keeps getting bigger).

Anyway, some people seem to prefer plain masks, others really like to go for it and show their passion, and for some it probably depends on their mood or what they are wearing! My kids love choosing fabrics for me to make them masks from, so I made one today for my daughter with a camper van. Maybe the two of us can go off one day in one of them and leave our menfolk behind….

You might as well have a bit of fun with something that is basically not very pleasant, but it is also important to have different face masks so you can tell the clean ones from the used ones, and are able to distinguish between the different owners in your household. Usually, when I get an order which includes two masks of the same design, I put different sorts of elastic in so people can tell them apart.

After the initial UK-wide elastic shortage a few weeks ago I am now able to colour match different elastic to different masks, I might as well….

I really must stop extending the range of fabrics I use, but to be honest I don’t think I could make quite so many masks if I was operating some sort of sweat shop where every mask is the same. It’s the creative aspect which has kept me going these last few weeks, during which I have made hundreds of masks, I lost count of quite how many….

There’s no profit in it as I keep giving masks away and keep finding new fabrics which I think will work well, but hey, I’m enjoying doing it….

And now I suppose I’d better make some more of those camper van masks…