Thank you very much for reading our (LONG) posts almost daily. This time, I really would like to ask for your help here. With encountering one discussion on Facebook, I am confused about what I am doing (am I contradicting in saying & writing…). I try to be sincere. I try to reply to the emails & comments as much as time allows. Since I believe Sashiko is more than stitching, when the questions is about the Sashiko as the culture, I answer pretty much all of the questions sincerely.
(I unfortunately limit the service to answer the technical questions to my workshop students – limited capacity situation – and many answers are already answered online).
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Yet, my replies seem to cause confusion and discomfort on one FB group thread. The confusion leads to the fundamental question, why do you (they) call it Sashiko if they were not willing to understand the Japanese culture? (Please read our website below or from the profile link – the title “Why do you call it Sashiko” for the whole dialogues to help me out of confusion. Thank you).
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Is it my English (so bad that I need to re-start learning)? or one of the cases that they only get the messages they wanted to understand? If I made confusion because of me writing too much (or in bad English), and encouraging “the people who replied” not reading what I wrote, I can understand. However, if it is actually me that creating confusion – contradicting with each other between what I write & what I say (&do), then it is a fatal problem. Your help would be very much appreciated to tell me your insight.
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The last comment was like this: “There are many Sashiko teachers that are welcoming and generous with their knowledge.” Yes, they are many other Sashiko teachers with very generous attitude. However, if she is calling me “not generous” then something is missing here… and I would love to have a help to understand what I am doing wrong. I wrote something very important at the end of the article. It is LONG article, but it gave me a chance to reconsider what I want to be doing & what is my challenges. Thank you very much for your help in advance.
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Article: https://upcyclestitches.com/why-do-you-call-it-sashiko/ ☆
2019-05-15 00:46:38
I don’t know I never had confusing feelings from your posts. Though I know teaching is a though job and there will always some people that will not likes your method, but they don’t understand that is a normal preference and it doesn’t mean you are a bad teacher. Thanks for sharing I enjoy every single of your posts.
I don’t think you are doing anything wrong. It is them, who have no sensitivity towards the fact that other people have other ways. They see the output and want that. Not to practice. I have had the same problem with some person who wanted to crochet a hat, but not to practice crochet on a sample. Or spinning… Don’t worry about them, they are the poorer for their lack of understanding your intentions.
Share your knowledge. Don’t respond or reply to most comments. Your English seems just fine to me.
@sashi.co nothing you are doing is wrong. I do remember when I was quickly reading one of your earlier posts I at first thought, “ooh, that’s a bit harsh” but when I properly went through and read it in full I didn’t think that anymore (and now I can’t even find exactly which post it was). I think the issue lies in the fact that the very nature of social media is the EXACT OPPOSITE of the culture of sashiko, so that the people asking for help through these mediums are looking for a quick fix to their problem and are less willing perhaps to work through the issue through practice. I also think that the “trend” here is making “sashiko” synonymous with “sashiko style embroidery” which is not what you teach. Until you look into it more, I for one didn’t know enough about the culture to understand the difference so I do believe there is confusion and misinformation out there. I am glad for your posts, I love seeing your work and learning more about the culture so please do not get too discouraged.
You havent done anything wrong, andI have no problem understanding your English 😊 they likely cannot understand that it is more than stitching, because they grew up in a consumer culture where the label is the thing and nothing more. Same reason why people get mad when they see the price of a handmade work, and think they can get it cheaper mass produced – to them there is no difference. It “looks cool” and thats all that matters to them. I see a lot of things appropriated that way (zen is another one… There is Zen furniture, Zen aesthetic, anything with stones and sand and waterfalls and peaceful chimes and meditation is Zen.) There is no depth to it. I hope that helps.
You are not doing anything wrong – if anything, it’s a sign you are doing things right.
I started a comment yesterday then my child grabbed my phone and it deleted. Essentially, I wanted to say thank you so much for your rich and valuable education. I had started calling my stitching sashiko-style, for lack of a better term. But I’m going to stop that, because I am still so ignorant of the culture and tradition.
Unfortunately, so much of western culture is appropriated and consumeristic, and it’s a sore spot for people when it’s pointed out. And we do not have a culture of saving face/offering grace. So, people react crassly to not getting what they want.
You have every right to continue educating, directing people to buy thread and tools from the appropriate makers, and speaking how you want. The issue is not with you.
Hello. I greatly appreciate the time and effort you put into sharing your craft here. It is infinitely valuable and I feel fortunate to learn more about the history and practice each day. In fact, a student pointed out your videos and I have been making an effort to spend more time on Instagram so I can see your posts here. Thank you.
I think your communications are gentle while still getting the point across. It is hard to keep everyone happy and I really appreciate the perspective you share. Perhaps the response is just a misinterpretation too😀
❤️💙 Continue with what you are doing! I learn a lot from reading your posts, although I dont do sashiko. 💙❤️
I enjoy reading your post! You are very sincere and generous with your knowledge! 👏
I think there are many excellent opinions and reasons to why the conversations on Facebook went the way they did all ready voiced. I think another possible co-factor is that there are also complicated underlying structures of norms that dye these inter-cultural discussions. Norms are powerful structures that organise our lives and expectation and our understanding of most things probably. It can be painful to have them questioned and to FEEL they are questioned can trigger defence mechanisms, such as denial, selective understanding of the message and defensiveness. I think intercultural communications are always high risk of making norms clash, so they can be volatile. This is not your fault, nor is it your English. Nor is it your responsibility to “defend” or teach the Japanese systems of norms, but I understand why you do. For me personally I have enjoyed intercultural meetings because they help me to understand the norms that I have been taken for granted and that allows me to see myself and my beliefs from a different perspective. But I am also prepared for this. I’m guessing many people don’t expect a Facebook group, or sashiko as a topic for that matter, to prompt that level of introspection. I appreciate your work with sashiko and your work with communication about sashiko much more than I could express is any language. I am so grateful for your work.
I think it is just a cultural difference, many western people want a simple and easy answer and there is less of a culture of not wanting to be troublesome. Lot’s of people here will ask anyone for advice not thinking of how that person may feel and it’s honestly very normal. If someone hears that “experience is the way to learn” they may feel offended because they know that already. They basically want tips that would advance their skills quickly and easily. As an artist I see many people who get questions about what supplies they use and there are some people who will gladly share that information and other who think there isn’t a point, as the same supplies won’t make you a better artist. The artist who shares info is seen positively and the artist who doesn’t share may be seen as selfish. There’s no right or wrong way, just how it is perceived is different. But the artist who shares every advice they have will be more tired out I think 😆 Although the difference is cultural many artists here will feel the same as you do and what they usually do is ignore people who want a quick and easy answer haha
You are doing nothing wrong! Sashiko is very different than embroidery. I do both and see them as very different practices. I think there is a tendency in Western culture to learn by watching and not by doing so people ask a lot of questions before they have even attempted a craft. Your suggestion to “do the work” is an excellent one, but not everyone is ready or willing to do the work even though they ask a lot of questions. Sashiko, in my experience, is an aesthetic and a meditative practice that must be done to be experienced, much like sitting meditation. Thank you for all the wonderful work you do bringing Sashiko into our lives. I’ve learned so much from your posts here on Instagram and on your website. I’m not on Facebook because I find it to be overwhelming!
Trop beau
Just keep it up ! Those who are really interested will get to a point when they understand how important the culture is to textiles. Sashiko being one of those. Love your posts 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼