Karmigurumi: 2024 Year In Review
What a year 2024 has been! So much has happened, and I’m excited to share it all with you. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and revisit some unforgettable Karmigurumi moments.
January – 2024 kicked off with lots of crocheting as I prepared for my Lunar New Year markets in February. Since 2024 is the Year of the Dragon, I found several dragon crochet patterns and made plenty to fit the theme! I also received my first wholesale order for snails, which was such a cool experience. It was my first time fulfilling an order like that!
In addition, I met up with our group, Fiber Friends, reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones who share a love for crocheting. The month was filled with excitement and anticipation for what’s ahead for Karmigurumi in the new year.
February - This was such a busy month with two Lunar New Year markets scheduled just a week apart! It was incredibly fun to be part of these celebrations and connect with the Asian community in Austin.
That said, I’ll be honest—I felt the pressure and experienced some burnout by the end of the month. To recharge, I decided to take a break from signing up for more markets, but I kept busy working on commissions.
March – I focused on creating Spring and Easter amigurumis for my consignment spaces. The Peep Bunnies were a huge hit and sold out at 7th Street Candle Co.! I also collaborated with Pippa's Homebakery to offer Easter baskets that included french macarons and a crocheted bunny—such a fun project!
Since I didn’t have any markets this month, I took the opportunity to relax and enjoy other hobbies, like baking. I also worked on my Hello Kitty x Woobles Crochet Kit, which was such a treat!
April – Karmigurumi turned 1! 🎉 I still can’t believe my passion project reached this milestone. To celebrate, I hosted a giveaway and had three lucky winners who each received an amigurumi. I’m incredibly grateful for all the support my small business has received over the past year.
I also got to celebrate Micayla’s (The Happy Hooker) birthday with the Fiber Friend girlies—we had such a blast! April was full of spring markets, and while I didn’t participate in any, I had a great time supporting friends like Cara of Carabella Designs.
May – I made a blanket for the Black Home Birth Matters ATX Mother’s Day auction. The winning bidder gifted the blanket to their friend, who’s expecting their first baby—such a thoughtful and heartwarming gesture!
This month, I spent a lot of time car crocheting, worked on a crocodile commission, and met up with my fellow maker friends to celebrate Lisa’s (Lisalisaco) birthday.
June – Vacation time! I went on an Alaska cruise with my husband and in-laws, and it was such a relaxing experience. I think this was the longest stretch of time I’ve gone without crocheting!
Toward the end of the month, I attended and supported my friends who were part of BUMUO: Rebuilding the Filipino Body.
July – No summer markets for me, thanks to the unbearable Texas heat! Instead, I had a few meetups with the Fiber Friends, worked on a sunflower granny square cardigan, and made lots of octopi!
August – Oh, August. This month, I made the decision to slow down and focus on my mental health. I took a much-needed break, joined a dance class, built some Legos, and dedicated time to working on myself.
By the end of the month, I was feeling much better and started preparing my inventory for the upcoming fall markets.
September – After a refreshing summer break, I was excited to get back to doing markets! I was thrilled to be part of the TAYO NA 2 Launch Party. The vibe and energy of the community coming together to support Filipino artists and makers was amazing.
A big thank you to Joi Conti for bringing us all together through this wonderful event! I was also renewed as a consignment artist for Dear Diary Coffee!
October - This month is always special because it’s my birth month. I participated in the Filipino Day Market, and I’m always in awe of the incredible support our community receives. The Jollybee sticker was a hit, and we had so many amigurumis adopted!
November – This month was truly memorable as I fulfilled a portion of my biggest wholesale order yet—for the Austin Public Library Gift Shop. Weee! I’m so grateful for the trust other businesses place in my art. I never imagined this would be possible!
December – I kicked off the month with a Holiday Market Pop-up at The Paper Craft + Pantry, where a portion of my sales was donated to Austin Pets Alive! to help save more dogs and cats.
I also visited the Austin Public Library Gift Shop, and it was so exciting to see my items on display there! To top it all off, I held my first crochet workshop with friends and family. Yay for new experiences!
Whew. What a year indeed! As I close the chapter on 2024, I’m filled with gratitude for everything this year brought. I’m excited to see where 2025 takes Karmigurumi, and I can’t wait to share it all with you!