Sister Masks

– When you wear a mask, think about safety, vulnerability, and your connection to your community.

The Navajo word for maternal aunt, shimá yázhí, literally means “little mother.” And aunties sew – at least in my family – and while my sister-in-law was in labor, I began to sew my new niece a quilt. It’s less about sewing and more about armoring the people I love. I secretly believe that the quilts I’ve made for my nieces, my sister, my husband keep them safe in my absence.

The pandemic arrived; again all I could do was fuss from afar. The pandemic arrived; so did my depression and anxiety. The pandemic arrived; I had so much time, and in my anxiety, I began to sew masks like so many others.

These “sister masks” are made from the leftover squares and bits of precious fabric I used to cover my loved ones in quilts. They are a small offering in the hopes of “no more stolen sisters,” the cry amidst the missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW+) epidemic. All proceeds from their sales have gone to support the work that the Urban Indian Health Institute does to provide COVID relief and incredibly important data collection about MMIW+.

Auntie Mask

Front: Red chino

Lining: White jersey

Stretchy Auntie Mask

Front: Red jersey

Lining: White jersey

Iron (Wo)man

Front: Khaki & red chino

Lining: Beige linen

CLAIMED // Lumber Jackie with horizontals

Front: Cotton flannel

Lining: Blue jersey

Lumber Jackie

Front: Cotton flannel

Lining: Various (blue jersey, white jersey, or denim spandex)

Tequila Sunrise 2

Front: Spandex blends, khaki, linen, jersey, & sweatshirt

Lining: Red jersey

CLAIMED // Washmo Orange

Front: Cotton flannel blend

Lining: Denim spandex

Citron jungle

Front: Linen & spandex blend

Lining: White jersey

Happy Morning 1

Front: Light canvas & yellow sweatshirt material

Lining: White jersey

CLAIMED // Happy Morning 2

Front: Citron spandex blend & grey heather jersey knit

Lining: White jersey

Mr. Blue Sky

Front: Cotton & spandex blend

Lining: White jersey

Sound & color

Front: Rayon, cotton sateen, jersey, & spandex blend

Lining: White jersey with some print

Green is a f*cked up color 2

Front: Cotton, rayon, jersey, & mesh

Lining: Royal blue jersey

Green is a f*cked up color 1

Front: Cotton, rayon, jersey, & mesh

Lining: Royal blue jersey

Polka Dot Faces // MASK FOR CHILD

Front: Jersey

Lining: White spandex blend

Gustav's Park PPE

Front: Rayon, khaki, cotton, flannel, sateen, & linen

Lining: White jersey with some silkscreen

Florence + The Sewing Machine 2

Front: Khaki & cotton print

Lining: White linen

Blue Face Suspenders

Front: Khaki & denim

Lining: beige linen

Golden Face Suspenders

Front: Khaki & linen

Lining: White jersey

Forest for the trees

Front: Cotton & linen blends

Lining: White linen

Am I stained glass that's not painted yet? (Horizontals)

Front: Khaki & linen

Lining: White jersey

Am I stained glass that's not painted yet? (Horizontals 2)

Front: Linen & khaki

Lining: White jersey

CLAIMED // Am I stained glass that's not painted yet? (Diagonals)

Front: Khaki & linen

Lining: White jersey

Polar bear in a snow storm // MASK FOR BEARD

Front: Linen

Lining: Beige cotton

Chino-you-didn't // MASK FOR BEARD

Front: Khaki

Lining: Striped cotton

CLAIMED // Khaki Window Panes

Front: Khaki & linen

Lining: White jersey

CLAIMED // Island in the Stream

Front: Blue chino & green khaki

Lining: White linen

Florence + The Sewing Machine

Front: Cotton & khaki

Lining: White jersey

CLAIMED // London Horizons

Front: Cotton & khaki

Lining: White jersey

Flowers aren't grey

Front: Cotton & sateen

Lining: White jersey

Flowers aren't grey 2

Front: Cotton & linen

Lining: White jersey

Navajo Heaven // MASK FOR BEARD

Front: Cotton

Lining: White jersey

Flowers aren't grey 3

Front: Cotton & grey khaki

Lining: White linen

Vanitas 1

Front: Chino blend & jersey

Lining: Black spandex blend

Vanitas 2

Front: Chino blend & jersey

Lining: Black spandex blend

Guinea (Party) Fowl

Front: Denim, chino, & cotton

Lining: Blue jersey

Zips

Front: Denim & linen

Lining: White jersey

Zips 2

Front: Denim & cotton sateen

Lining: Blue jersey

Barnet Barnett Newman

Front: Denim & cotton sateen

Lining: Blue jersey

Blueberries for all

Front: Denim

Lining: Various (orange cotton blend, denim spandex, or black flannel)

Blueberries for Saul // MASK FOR BEARD

Front: Denim

Lining: Various (denim spandex or black flannel)

Delta

Front: Denim, blue chino, and rayon

Lining: White linen

CLAIMED // Cobalt (Child-sized)

Front: Blue sport material

Lining: Black jersey

Chev-rona (Blue 1)

Front: Cotton, sateen, & linen

Lining: Blue jersey

Blue Spider Woman 3

Front: Cotton, linen, & polyester

Lining: Blue jersey

Blue Spider Woman 1

Front: Cotton & linen

Lining: Blue jersey

Blue Spider Woman 2

Front: Cotton & linen

Lining: Blue jersey

CLAIMED // Blue Spider Woman 4

Front: Linen & cotton

Lining: White jersey with some silkscreen

Hype The Stripe 2

Front: Cotton, linen, & sateen

Lining: Blue Jersey

The boys wanna be her

Front: Cotton, jersey, & linen

Lining: White linen

Grey sunrise

Front: Knit spandex, chino, & rayon

Lining: White jersey

ALL CLAIMED // Sister Sunrise

Front: Linen, chino, & cotton

Lining: Various (white jersey or denim spandex)

CLAIMED // Chev-rona (Mulberry 1)

Front: Linen & flannel

Lining: White jersey

Maple Syrup & Jam

Front: Khaki & cotton

Lining: Turquoise jersey

I only wanted to see you in the purple rain

Front: Flannel & chino

Lining: White jersey