Tag / pakalana

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

It’s been a while

I know it’s been a while. Life got complicated. I tried to write a post several times, but it didn’t feel right. I’m feeling better now and wanted to let you know I’m okay. I am working on learning how to deal with complications better.

Besides life’s complications, the weather has been wet, and last night’s storm was a whopper. It’s interfering with going hiking. It is genuinely mud hiking season. Remember last year’s mud hike.

A little muddy, Poamoho April 2022

But with rain comes beautiful blooms in Cora’s garden.

Top row, left to right: my pakalana is coming back; now there are clusters of flowers amongst the vines; the air plant has a reddish glow with orange-red blooms; the pakalana has a seed pod; pink and white bougainvillea from a plant that I trimmed back hard this winter.

by princesshotflash

Around Cora’s Garden: Pakalana

Pakalana is related to the milkweed plant, and it is also called Chinese Violet. It’s a woody vine with heart-shaped leaves. The flowers bloom in clusters of yellow-green flowers with a beautiful fragrance. Bees and ants love these blossoms. They bloom from April to September.

What I read about pakalana, it’s not the most beautiful vine, but the blooms and scent make up for that.

I added three pakalana plants to the old cucumber trellis this winter. Cucumbers have stopped growing well in this area, and it has been sitting empty. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they like their new home.

Only one of the plants of blooming. I hope the other two will come in later.

Pakalana is my favorite Lei. It is usually worn in several stands. And I’m trying to see if I can make on strand from what I’m getting this season. Mom said to pick the open blossoms, sprinkle them with water, and put them in the refrigerator till I have enough for a lei.

What I’ve gathered