Sashiko is NOT the word for “Mending Technique”. “Mending” is an important aspect of Sashiko as practice, but not the word for it. The simplified explanation about Sashiko in English is greatly misleading toward something different from Sashiko developed in Japan.
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When we have a headache, we take a painkiller. Many people misunderstand Sashiko as a painkiller. It can ease the pain, but the whole purpose of this “non-medicine” is to establish the health to decrease the possibility of headache. No matter how hard we try, we will have headaches. So, the painkiller itself is good. However, as the “non-medicine pill” here (Sashiko) isn’t a painkiller itself, so a proper explanation has to be presented. For that, in English, there are only a few proper pharmacists who can explain the whole description.
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As a proper explanation isn’t presented, one may do harm to themselves to cause the headache so that they can take the painkiller. This sounds wrong to me. [As Sashiko is “Mending Technique”, I will damage the fabric & enjoy Sashiko to mend] – I see some cases of this reverse Causal relationship, and it is happening due to a lack of information.
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日本中に刺し子は残っていて、様々な発展を遂げて現代の刺し子に繋がっていますが、一つ共通して確認できることは、「生活の為の針仕事」が原形であるということだと思います。保温の為。補強の為。補修の為。理由は様々なれど、必要性があったから針を持った日本人の針仕事が原形です。つまりは、「明日がくるなんていう保証はどこにもないけれど、少しでも家族が生きていけますように」という祈りが根底にあるように思っています。そして、日本の横並び文化を考えると、やっぱり「補修」というよりは「保温&補強」の方が刺し子っぽいかなと思うのです。補修する必要があるのであれば、最初に補強しとけ的な。
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「補修」も刺し子の大切な要素ではありますが、補修そのものを表現する言葉が刺し子ではありません。間違っていないけど、説明が足りていない。英語圏での現在の刺し子は「補修の技術」として認識されています。それは教える側の説明が圧倒的に足りていないから。
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「頭痛がして痛み止めを飲む」ような単純な因果関係で完結していて嫌なのです。頭痛が頻繁に起こるのであれば、その原因を探り、「頭痛そのものを減らす」ことの方が私としては自然です。痛み止めが悪いのではありません。ただ、快楽を求めるあまり痛み止めに頼り過ぎている感じがして嫌なのです。下手すると、「痛み止めを服薬したいが為に頭痛を起こす」という逆流の因果を起こす危険性すらあります。因果を不自然に逆にするのはとても危ないことで、破壊要因にすらなります – 新品の布にヤスリで穴を開け、そこに補修をして刺し子&襤褸を誇るなんていうのは、日本語がわかり刺し子や襤褸をある程度理解した上でアートとしてそれを行っていない限り、刺し子への冒涜にすらなると思っているのです。
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2023-09-09 20:56:11
Bellísimo 👏👏👏
Oh, thank you. There is so much depth to this practice. Thank you for taking the time to explain .
So very western, banging one’s head against the wall because it feels good to stop
To me this is the main point of frustration seeing people say their visible mending is Sashiko. I wish you could pin this post! I will save it and pass it along to people who post this kind of error when I can.
Another very good analogy. Each one deepens my understanding.
That is beautiful 😍
Every time I read that Sashiko is visible mending, I get annoyed for those who practice the highest artistic level. Why do some confuse why it started with the beautiful technique it has become. It may be simple in its most basic form but the artistry demonstrated on some of these garments is worthy of display in the best museum. The BBC article seems to miss the point , that Sashiko is still been practised to such a high artistic level.
Absolutely! Well said! Also, could I ask humbly please, is Sashiko a way to embroider the fabric or as well can be done as a quilting design? Many thanks 🙏 and endless blessings to you and family ❤️
Thank you from Virginia in the United States for helping me to understand this beautiful stitching technique. I am just learning about it and about how to do it. We appreciate all that you do and I am so sorry that people have been unkind. Wishing you the best in the new year!