Tag / Happy New Year

by princesshotflash

What I made in 2023

I started a post the other day about my holiday baking. I couldn’t finish it. I was not feeling it. I decided to dump that post and start a new one about what I made in 2023.

I like doing these wrap-ups at the end of the year. It’s a great way to look back at what I accomplished. It does surprise me how much I got done.

Being a full-time caregiver sometimes feels like I’m a waitress or maid to my parents. This is the reason for my projects. It gives me purpose and keeps my sanity from the stress of caring for loved ones with dementia.

Here’s my rundown of all of my mades.

Stitching

I picked up stitching in 2022 as a way to quiet my brain. It really works. I do it in the morning with my cup of coffee.

Left to right: coaster made with machine and hand quilting, scrappy trivet, scrappy bowl

Lei-making

My beautiful pakalana plants were so fruitful in their second year. I made my ten girlfriends each a (at least three strands) pakalana lei for their birthday. Pakalana is seasonal, so the birthday leis were always a surprise as most of them arrived long after their birthday.

Many stages of leimaking

Quilting

I took on a commission in 2022 to create a quilt with the fabric provided. I could do any pattern, but it needed to be as big as possible. I got stuck for several months after finishing the quilt top. I made no move moment on this quilt. I decided to rework my workroom, which was the key to getting me going again. Now I’m on quilt #7. I got the bug.

All my scrappy quilts. One was commission piece plus seven for donation or gifts.

Knitting

My knitting has been the back seat to my quilting; I have only finished a few items this year.

Left to right, top to bottom: Grandma Nancy’s shawl; Blocking Boneyard and Grandma Nancy’s Shawls in the sun; mitts for a friend; Orange loves to help; Zabutons to throw pillows; Zig zag pillow; February hat; Zick zack scarf

Finishing up          

These are the partially finished projects that were gifted to me that I finished up this year. On Instagram, there’s a group called Loose Ends, that finishes up projects for the loved one. I guess this is my own Loose Ends project. I tried to return the finished project to the giver, or I gifted the project to someone special.

Left to right: This Hawaiian quilt pillow only needed quilting one little corner. I turned it into a pillow by adding an envelope back and binding it in some gifted fabric (in the perfect prints and color), then I made a pillow insert to finish off; I got three embroidered panels she made while recuperating from broken ankles. I turned one of the panels into Komebukuro (rice bag in Japanese) to hold her next project.

I’m stopping here or at this rate, I’ll never publish this before the end of 2024. I hope I have another productive crafty year. Happy New Year!

by princesshotflash

A Little Late

Happy New Year!

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Goodluck mochi for the house

I’ve been a little busy with holiday stuff and just catching up with some last minute things before the end of the year. The last 2 years have been a whirlwind of stuff that I never thought would happen to me. I hope 2019 brings a little bit of calm for me. These are a few things that I’m trying to make that happen.

Baking

It hasn’t stopped, no matter how hot it is. Winter brings a little help but I’m still sweating. Pies are topped the list this year. It’s because my mom’s love of pies.

Apple pie in the oven
Apple pie done
Lemon meringue pre-meringue
Pre-bake
Lemon meringue done
ready for the oven
with walnut crumb
pre-bake crust holiday gifts
small pies lilikoi and calamansi filling
big pie calamansi filling
Apples and mixed berries
apple and mixed berry pie 2
lilikoi coconut pie with whipped cream

Knitting

The majority is charitable knitting, a few holiday gifts for people, a cute cat and my hipster dad modelling my hats

Swimming

I started swimming. I joined the Y and took a swimming class to make this happen. Every Sunday at 9. To my surprise, I do enjoy it. I think it’s being in the water that I enjoy the most. I’m not the best swimmer but I tell myself at least I’m trying. I hope for one day that I could do laps as gracefully as many of the other swimmers I watch.

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love swimming in the ocean

For the coming year

Got me a Fitbit to help remind me to keep moving. Added walking and may try out the C25K app to see if I like running and give me a goal. Thinking of vacation and where I want to go. San Diego in the lineup for May if all things go well. I’d like to go to Japan but not sure when or where.

Hope this is productive and fun year for all. I sure can use one of those.

by princesshotflash

Repurpose, Restart, Happy New Year!

Decided to frog (rip apart–knitting term) the first sweater I ever made. It was for Oat and made with 2 strand of super soft merino wool from Morehouse Farm in NY. I decided to make a throw for my dad who is always cold in Hawaii.

2691399216_bca0487d38_oHere’s Oat wearing the sweater in Prague in 2008. This is the beginning of my Mr. Handmade.

My little Orange loved helping me with frogging the sweater.

He’s exhausted from all his hard work.

Ollie knows better to get involved with the yarn. Sleeping on my leg is his job.

This is what I’ve been doing. Trying to repurpose things that meant something to Oat. Repurposing his knit hats into shawls and wraps for Wrapped in Love. Hawaiian shirts will be turned into a patchwork quilt. And hopefully I can turn his old jean into an interesting project.

I hope this help me with a restart in 2018. Lots of changes and more to come.

Happy New Year to everyone! Hope it is good one for everyone.