I realize the pain from Cultural Appropriation in Sashiko (I learned it is okay to say it hurts). However, I am NOT asking you to stop calling your stitching “Sashiko”. It is the opposite. I want you to call it “Sashiko” while trying to understand what Sashiko really is. It is my constant message to encourage you to enjoy sashiko. Please read the article from the link on profile for the detail of my messages.
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I really mean it. Please do not worry about C/A too much. If you are a newbie in Sashiko, you will not hurt anyone. When you try to learn, the Japanese welcome you & never exclude you. Just keep it in your mind. There won’t be “enough” in learning. When you think “Oh, I get Sashiko and I don’t need to learn further”, then the C/A begins.
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I am here to share. If you are interested, pick up your needle and start stitching without worrying much. We all once stitched regardless of differences. The needlework defined what humans were. In stitching, you may find who you are (were). Stitching isn’t all about “Fake-superficial-positivity”. We felt the shame, anger, sadness, pain, and “happiness” in stitching. When you feel you are inspired by Sashiko, then call it “Sashiko” instead of “Sashiko inspired” with learning as many stories of “why” as possible. Why Sashiko thread, why Sashiko needle, why Sashiko then Boro. The “caring (mindfulness/respect)” is all I am asking – to avoid the further unnecessary change.
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I speak up because some unnecessary changes have been made already… I want to make Sashiko a whole with you. Thank you.
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日本各地にいらっしゃる素敵な刺し子をされる方を、どーんと世界に紹介したい。「居場所を作る」という目標の次の夢かもしれません。針目は刺し手の気と姿を映します。上手い下手も大切ですが、刺しているかどうかが大切です。当たり前ですけど。
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日本の感性の「なんとなく」。英語にすると”No Reason/Just Because”。でも違うんです。日本の”なんとなく”には理由があると思いません？それを論理的に説明できないだけで、無いわけじゃない。針目も一緒。感じることがあれば、それが刺し手の思いと形（ナリ）です。幼少期から針目見てるとそうなってしまうんですよ（笑）
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2021-02-12 10:10:00
Sashiko has somehow, quietly, started changing my life. I don’t know how to explain it except that there’s much peace to be had. When you unite your breath with your hand, with the intelligence of the needle, the sassyness of the thread, the broad acceptance of the fabric, something changes. For those of us not Japanese, who have been changed by this, it is our duty to give thanks to the Japanese people past and present.
Tan ,tan, lindo.👏👏👏
Wonderful work!!
As a musician I concur… never let go of the growth mindset – there is always more to learn and understand.
Love what you have to say.
❤️Muy grande❤️🔥❤️😍
I can’t stop looking at this. It’s mesmerising. Sooooo good ⛩
Great. Good to understand more fully the investment in cultural traditions.
Hermoso bordado ❤️❤️❤️
「なんとなく」って、何がどうだと明確に説明するのは難しい(言葉にするのは難しい)けれど、感覚としては、確かに何を感じ取っている状態なのかなーと思います。だから、しのぶさんの仰るように、どちらの英語に対しても「うーん？」てなるんだと思います。
I think this is the explanation I have ever read about how to engage with another culture’s traditional skills and knowledge while being mindful of C/A. Thank you for working so hard to share your experiences and knowledge with us.
ಠ_ಠ selvedge demin ಠ_ಠ
Thank you so much ❤️
I love boro and sashiko, and have been inspired by it.
The photo is a beautiful sea of undulating texture.
I’m glad I came across this. I have been inspired by Sashiko enough to try it. I don’t have a mentor other than what I sought to read about, and I bought the thread, needles, and thimble to try. I am a novice and am curious to learn more. I appreciate the joy it has brought me so far