Do you have anything that you have spent time with all of your life? It doesn’t have to be something you liked, or you were passionate about. It can be something you didn’t actually do, but had to spend time with. It can be anything. It may be “books” if you were born in a novelist’s family. For me, Sashiko is the one. I hated it so much until 2011, then changed myself, which ended up with holding a strong commitment to “pass it down” somehow.
☆
I often ask: “What do you like about Sashiko”? There is no Right or Wrong in answering this question. It is for me to understand why one calls “it” Sashiko. I used to ask “Why do you call it Sashiko” – but I learned it can sound aggressive as if I am accusing them of calling it Sashiko. I didn’t mean that, so I changed the question. As you know, I want everyone to enjoy Sashiko. I NEVER said that I do not like you (or anyone) enjoying Sashiko. I just want them to enjoy the Sashiko with some understanding of what it is. No need to fully master it. Then you may ask, what is the line between “Some understanding” and “Ignorance”? It is, for me, “acknowledgement”.
☆
As I had spent so much time in Sashiko. Therefore, [Sashiko = Decorative/Visible Mending] is one concept I do not accept. Decorative/Visible Mending is a very important part of Sashiko, but Sashiko is NOT equal to mending practice appreciating the “fixing” itself. Some Japanese didn’t want to mend the fabric, and therefore they developed Sashiko. They stitched in a no-choice environment. Discussion on [Sashiko as Decorative Mending] ignores their voice in the history of Sashiko.
☆
Sashiko is nothing special to me. Therefore, it is important to be angry when one decides to ignore. I received a good phrase: “Your Anger isn’t Negative. It is a Driving Force”. I hope you feel the same way. Well, I often include something more than “anger” even in the angry post. If one thinks this account is just a series of angry posts, they won’t understand what Sashiko is anyway. Do you have “it” that you will protect no matter what?
☆
–
–
–
☆
また長くなりました。改めて日本語にしたものを書きますね。とはいえ大したことは書いていないのです。当たり前のお話。その当たり前が伝わらないから、大仕事なんでしょうね。
☆
2023-07-24 20:15:30
I’m curious what was happening before 2011? How was it such a part of your life while not liking it? Was it a family tradition?
I admit@I do not@understand Sashiko, but I am so enjoying learning and practicing. I find it very soothing and I can pray as I stitch.
I very much enjoy the materials. They seem insync with each other. I enjoy their purpose as you have explained. The patterns are easy to draw but to get the rhythm is hard. It pulls you in. There is something extraordinary in its simplicity, which is misleading. It is by no means simple.
I have been around sewing my entire life, and now I sew, embroider, quilt, because I love textiles and textile art. I enjoy the process, the feel of the fabrics and the threads, the satisfaction of making something useful and/or beautiful. For me, the best thing in the world is to make something for someone that’s exactly their taste, and they really love it. I sometimes enter into discussions about quilting, and what is the “right” way to do something, but it’s usually because I want to tell someone “There are no quilt police.”. Quilting has many traditions, but one thing I love about it is that there are many right ways to do it well.
I am a textile person. When I stitch I enjoy watching the length of the metal going up an down in the fabric. I like looking at the finished stitches. After finishing the stitching I enjoy looking at the design. I enjoy the beautiful skill of others stitching. Even those who do this art but do not have any connection emotionally to Sashiko still do beautiful stitching. But you writing gives me a deeper caring about what I do with my stitching