Birdsong Quilting, Embroidery & Crafts Sparks Statewide Mask-Making Mission
Written by Kathy Witt
How many facemasks does 1,000 yards of fabric make?
Shannon Burns, owner of Birdsong Quilting, Embroidery & Crafts in downtown Georgetown, doesn’t have the exact answer – after all, a single yard of fabric can yield anywhere from 12 to 15 masks.
She just knows that the 1,000 yards of fabric she donated for mask making went to various groups and organizations all over Kentucky, which then divided the fabric up among volunteer sewers for a cause she was happy and honored to support.
“I got a call from a local doctor’s office that needed fabric on one of the first days we shut down and it snowballed from there,” said Shannon. “I own this store so I can make an impact on my community, be a support to the community. This has been a part of my business model from the get-go.”
The fabric, pulled from among the 4,000 bolts in Birdsong Quilting, Embroidery & Crafts’ inventory, represents thousands and thousands of dollars, but the payback for Shannon was priceless.
“My original intent was to support doctors’ office and hospitals in our local community, but then it became a statewide effort that I was a part of,” Shannon said.
Sewers were in place already; they just needed fabric. That’s where Shannon stepped in, not only
donating the fabric but a few sewing machines as well. The mask making mission grew from doctors’ offices and retail locations to two regional hospitals and the Department of Veterans Affairs, dozens of nursing homes and other venues in Georgetown, Louisville, Lexington and beyond.
A customer from Bowling Green planned a special trip to Shannon’s shop to thank her for the fabric donation.
“Her group used the fabric to make masks for the veterans there,” said Shannon. “It’s been very rewarding, in part because of the feedback from those faraway entities.
“Building and helping the community, and being a support to community members, is why my 
business is here,” she added.
Birdsong Quilting, Embroidery & Crafts is open for shoppers by appointment and is offering classes and workshops, both in-person and via Zoom. See the schedule on the shop’s website and updates on Birdsong’s Facebook page. Additionally, the store holds sales via Facebook Live at 9:15 a.m. on Wednesdays. Curbside pickup is available.
See an updated lists of Georgetown shops and hours of operation here.
Georgetown is a community that puts its kindness where its mouth is. Read how other community members are spreading kindness here
