Another frequent question. “Can we do Sashiko stitching with a machine?”. Well,

Another frequent question. “Can we do Sashiko stitching with a machine?”. Well, why not? Since a part of Sashiko’s definition is stitching for a decorative purpose, it could be done with a machine and they “can” call the machine stitching Sashiko. However, I also tell them that they may be missing the fun and enjoyable part of Sashiko. It is like eating pizza without cheese. ☆
In our many years of experience, we feel like “Mending fabric equals to Mending ourselves”. We have ups and downs, good and bad days, after all it isn’t easy society to live happily all the time. We see so many opinions and judgements to be “normal (adjusted)” and one mistake can chase us to the edge. When the world let me down, I stitch. When I achieve, I stitch. The mindful time with stitching remind me who I am – we don’t have to be more or less than who we are – it is precious time to mend myself.
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Thanks to Sashiko, we can smile. Keiko and I had been through a lot of detours to be here. Some of them are unbelievably cruel. However, I guess it isn’t only our case. Probably yours was as cruel. We sometimes encounter the beyond-description cruelty in life. We (especially Atsushi) could have ended up withdrawing everything he had (Hikikomori). We also had months of not stitching at all – and Keiko look back on those days as the most difficult time. Well. Therefore, we restarted our activity in 2015.
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It is important to focus the beautiful result of stitching. Also, I hope, we communicate the fun part of hand-stitching. Not only Sashiko, but any form of hand-stitching & crafting. There is reason we enjoy our hand-made goods: Not only to be admired by, but also to cure us.
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刺し子を長年続けていると、「刺し子したくねぇなぁ」という日があります。昔は「刺し子なんかしてる場合じゃない」と口に出したことがどれだけあったか。今振り返ると、「だからこそ針を持つんだ」と思ったり。去年だったかな、「刺し子の補修は、心の補修」という感じの文章を英語で書いた記憶があります。手縫いの刺し子を紹介し続けるのは、結果としての刺し子の美しさも勿論ですが、この「癒し」の効果があるからです。吃驚するほどに。人様には信じて頂けないような（試練の）人生を歩んできました。でもそれは、このご時世では当たり前に存在する残酷性なのかもしれません。一つ言えるのは、僕も恵子さんも、刺し子がなかったら今の笑顔は存在していなぁと。「笑えるのが奇跡」という今、やっぱり刺し子はとても大切なものなのです。
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2019-07-06 19:39:43

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