Sewing/stitching is a practice in the ordinary. No one can/should own “it”. Same goes to Sashiko/Boro. (But, please be advised that the words are Japanese.) By reading the stories here, some may find themselves in “comfortable confusion”, because they see many similarities between what I share and what they see in their “ordinary”. Stitching exist(ed) at millions of communities and in billions of households. One may recall many warm memories while remembering some family members. The only difference between me and them is that “I am fortunate to receive it (Sashiko) as a structured culture with names”. Similar ordinaries exist everywhere mixing their own culture & identity.
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Therefore, I ask you to “care (imagine)-想像力” the ordinary behind the words. When one uses the words Sashiko/Boro with saying “whatever is fine”’ , it can be quite violent. (I barely say “whatever is fine” because there are reasons behind what I say/do.) At the same time, please do not “fear” using the word Sashiko/Boro.
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Some twist my words. I am NOT excluding the non-Japanese. In fact, I am doing the opposite as I wrote in the article. I want you to think & feel before riding on the trend. Stop and imagine before defining or being judgemental. Sashiko (or any kind of stitching) is a good way to stop “moving” and focus on “thinking” (especially when we do not focus on the results). In order to “learn”, resources can be a bottleneck. Therefore, I decided to share.
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Many friends who took my workshop/class have found their own “Sashiko”. When many find their own “Sashiko” with respecting the words & stories behind the words, then I can focus on stitching. This account may be needed until that day. Thanks to @_sarah_rah_ and her post. It encourages me to write this in English (I write this in Japanese all the time). I hope it resonates with you.
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日本語でいつも書いていることを英訳すると、これだけ長くなります（笑）想像力の話です。前提って大事ですねー。
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2020-09-17 21:10:57
Your stitchery is nice but people all over the world do the same thing so you’re right- you do not own it and the way you learned it does not make you special.
Thank you for writing this! And for all of your honesty, this account is beautiful and I am very glad that the algorithms allowed me to find you I am sorry that I do not speak Japanese well, as I feel I am losing something valuable through the translation process to English. There are nuances that English fails to fully grasp. I hope I can one day learn Sashiko from a master like you. Until that day, I will be careful to consider my words and actions.
英語長い‥‥
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