Author / princesshotflash

by princesshotflash

A project from my queue

I started this a while ago, sometime during the pandemic. It’s this pillowcase I made with vintage Japanese fabric a long time back. It has begun to fray. I took off with the intent to patch the fraying pieces with some new material. Then I happened upon several articles and videos on boro.

Boro in Japanese means ragged or tattered. I grew up with the term boro-boro when you wore clothing that was falling apart. Boro is a style of patchwork using old cloth and sashiko (running stitch). Here’s a link to an article I found on boro. That goes into more detail. I love that some of these boro pieces are generational and turn into something new again. The graphical quality and direction that the stitches add to the patches are what I like about boro.

I decide to use this pillowcase as a sampler of different stitches and applique to find something I like. Maybe come up with my style. I also wanted to test out if I like hand-stitching.

I started off doing the basic running stitch, learning how to get my length consistent and find a size I like. I purchase sashiko thread and needles (sidebar: I’m a sucker great packaging and the packaging on these needle are great)from Amazon. I got the traditional off-white color. I do have a bunch of different embroidery threads that I could use also.

This is where I started. Working it as a sampler to teach me about boro and sashiko.

  • Adding a patch on top the old
  • practicing the stitch
  • holes in the Japanese crepe fabric
  • patches
  • more stitching
  • more patches
  • stitching and patching
The start

I stopped and hung it on the wall for a long while as I worked on my many other project sitting in my queue. I think I got tried of stitching and not sure where I was going. Then just this week I picked it up wanting to start stitching again. I think I’m seeing it more than a sampler. I might have to make a new pillowcase.

  • little buds
  • shiba inu patch
  • falling blossoms
  • flowerss

Here’s where I’m at. I know it isn’t finished. I hope I’ll know when it will be.

by princesshotflash

Do you see elephants?

I finally got back to my d’Historie Naturelle blanket and made it past part 4, attaching the corners. I was avoiding putting them on because I thought I my have made a mistake and need to rip apart what I had done and that just got me not wanting to do it.

To my surprise, I did’t ripe it apart.

corners attached, phew!
Started on the flames row, I thought they look more like flower bud.
I’m not looking forward to weaving the ends in.

Part 5

I thought I would never get pass part 4. Part 5 starts our simple and pretty straight forward. I get to the famous elephant rows, simple repeats and simple stitches. No crazy triple trebles (uk term) in the next two rounds. How bad can it be?

Bad! I shouldn’t crochet when I’m stressed out (Dad issue). It’s only two rows with an easy pattern repeat along each edges. Well it must be hard enough to make the exact same mistake–1/2 treble (uk term) NOT double crochet (uk term)-TWICE! And I had rip it out to the beginning of the first of the two row. Sheesh! Annoyed. I ripped out, bundle everything together and threw it in the corner fix later! Ughhhh!

I wake up the next morning and determine to make this right, and TA DAH!

No ears but I’m not ripping them out again!!!

I can see the elephants!

from a text from my sister

There are two per repeat, facing each other, eight in total. The original pattern has them with no ear and I did find a link in the comments of the video for elephants with ears but I wasn’t going to rip them out again just for the ear. I like how they look, cute!

I hope to continue on till I’m done. Working a little everyday till I can show you this finished project. I should slap myself for stopping during the cooler winter month to only start back up in when the weather has turn to almost summer in my neighborhood.

For my birthday, I picked up another crochet pattern for bag and both the yarn. Corfu bag from Outstanding Crochet and Catona yarn from scheepjes from Wool Warehouse.

There are other projects in the queue before this bag but I couldn’t pass it up. More projects to come. Stay tuned.

by princesshotflash

The Art of Sharing

Ever wonder about the high cost of food and how people deal with it. In Hawaii, it’s more significant as food and goods not available on the islands come in from the mainland. I try and buy locally and just enough for a week or two to eliminate food waste in our house. In my three years back on the island, I notice this is one of the most significant ways we deal with the high cost is sharing our food.

Just this week, I get a call from my cousin “M” and if we wanted a soursop. Of course, it’s a yes. It’s Mom’s favorite. Right before she hangs up, I ask if she wants kale.

Soursop chilling in the refrigerator

“Sure!” she replies.

And the cycle repeats itself many times over in many Hawaii households. To me, this is the art of sharing. 

What’s a soursap?

I realized I may have never described what a soursop was like. This is because I haven’t tried it. Green gnarly fruit kind of scare me since being introduce to durian (Southeast Asia’s beloved fruit). On first meeting, soursop looks like a relative of durian–big, green, and knobby. But it doesn’t smell.

The inside is creamy white with large black seeds with no bad smell. My cousin recommends to put it in the freezer for a refreshing snack.

Another sharing moment

Guava trees are fruiting now. Trees brought to the house by the birds that my mom feed every morning. Fruit are slightly larger than a golf ball. First three guava wen to the bird (not intentional), got the next three. Beautifully pink inside.

by princesshotflash

Thrifty Finds

I volunteer at the Kuakini Hospital Thrift Store, as it reopen after being closed for about 8 months because of COVID. It so much fun being there looking all the fun thing that are donated to the shop. Here are few goodies that I found today as I straighten up the shelves in between customers

  • Basket of chicken salt and pepper shakers and toothpick holder
  • geese measuring spoons
  • Small Jadeite pitcher
  • Pamco glass measuring cup
  • Cute set of ethnic dolls
  • Found in the 3 for $2 shelves: carved leather platter (?)
  • My favorite find of the day: Screen printed banana shape coin purse in the 3 for $2 shelf

Many of these I wanted but I just have no more space at the house. I may pick up the banana coin purse next week because some needs to have it.

What I did come home with: a vintage yukata (a summer cotton kimono) for the fabric. I think I will turn this into a top and maybe a couple of totes.

  • folded in half
  • vintage fiber content tags
  • store tag
  • close-up of the collar and lapel

And a bright happi coat (a short jacket that is worn during festivals) because of fabric outside and lining. It will make a nice winter time coat.

  • The lining is so cute
  • sleeve
  • love the roundness of the bottom of sleeves.+
by princesshotflash

Cora’s Garden: The Beloved Honohono

Mom’s honohono has bloomed. Just one spike this year.

The Honohono orchid is very beloved amongst the orchid growers in Hawaii. The sweet scent and cascading flowers something to look forward to in the spring. Here’s an article to give you more information about these orchids.

Cora’s orchids are having a very active blooming season this year. Though the orchids plants themselves need more care. Once the blooms are gone, will tend to them with some repotting the is very needed on several of them. We moved them in the patio so we can enjoy them together.

  • Cora amongst here plants

Mom’s also wanted to show off her oxalis that has a blooms.