Sashiko is an ordinary practice of hand-stitching, and the Boro is one of the ultimate results of Sashiko stitching. We can find similar practice all over the world. Unlike today, we (human beings) didn’t have this much excessive fabric, and they had to “stitch” to survive through. I believe your ancestor did something very similar to Sashiko, with a specific name remaining as culture, or with no name and somewhat lost in history.
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In today’s society, Sashiko is often translated, “little stubs (embroidery)”. It is from “Sashi (刺し）= Stub” and “Ko (子）= Child”. In translation, the word “child” was interpreted as “small”, otherwise the translation would be “stabbing child” (U know the Japanese are very strange, but we don’t have a culture of stabbing a child – as long as I know). I kind of “doubt” this translation for several reasons. Sashiko may not be “Little Stubs” as the others have already translated. Word does matter – and deeply related to the culture itself. So I keep doubting & researching.
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ここ5年くらい思い出すように疑問に思っているのが、「刺し子」の語源です。英語だと、「小さい針目」と意訳されているのですが、”子”が使われているあたり、もしかしたら本来は「刺す人（女性？）」を表す言葉だったのかなと思ったり。今は刺し子は、「動作」と「作品」の2面を表す言葉になってます。言葉は本当に面白くて、文化を表現する鏡みたいなものです。「襤褸」はわかりやすく、名詞であり、動詞にはなり得ません。「襤褸をする」って変でしょ？「刺し子する」とは言うけれど。だから、刺し子をして、その結果の一つが襤褸なんです。英語だと、襤褸も刺し子も「技術（つまりは動詞）」として、分類されてしまっています。実際は、同じ線上にある言葉なんです。だから、「刺し子 or 襤褸」じゃなく、「刺し子、そして襤褸」。”子”を”（女性の）人称”と解釈して英語に約した人は、いなかったのかなぁ。
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2020-09-10 10:26:22
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In england we darned everything… clothes were mostly wool so we mended with wool too… people generally don’t do this anymore but there are some of us that do 🙏
That translation is so sweet! I like the image of small hands learning the tradition too 😊
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My family heritage is Irish. I had a great aunt who used very similar process to make clothing and bed covers. She was able to sell some or trade for her needs. 🧵 My mum says all her clothes as a child were made out of old clothes pieced together, she never had anything new.
Yes,translation sometimes can be nonsense 😊
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Thank you, lovely history behind it 👏👏👏
So love your posts… I learn so much! ❤️
My mother mended her clothes and mine. I myself learned to sew watching her. Old times, less consumption, less waste.
Yes. My mother would make kantha blankets by hand when she was a child in Bengal.
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