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Welcome!

9/15/2017

22 Comments

 
​Hello, welcome to my blog.
​Let’s get this introductory stuff out of the way so we can get down to talking about the fun stuff as soon as possible! 

I was born in Australia and now reside long-term in Japan, working as a Japanese to English translator. And I'm a sashiko fanatic! I do sashiko because I love the patterns and learning about their history, thinking about colour combinations for fabric and thread, drawing up designs on graph paper and stitching them on the cloth. It’s like meditation, and better than resorting to any chemical option in my opinion. Nothing makes me more relaxed than when I’m stitching, or feel so satisfied as when I end up with a finished piece I can show off to my family and friends. If you’re reading this I’m sure you understand what I mean! I can’t sew and am really not very handy with doing craft projects generally, but I love sashiko, and I figure that if I can do it, anybody can.  

Several decades ago when I first came to Japan, it wasn’t very visible. I saw kits and was curious about this craft, but found very few books about it in Japanese let alone English. It’s a different story now, of course; sashiko is popular around the world (though many Japanese people can’t quite believe that!), the word is even recognized in English and there is a lot more literature available than there used to be. In fact, I think one of the best sashiko resource books available in any language is written in English not Japanese! The book I’m referring to Susan Briscoe’s The Ultimate Sashiko Sourcebook. But comparatively speaking, literature on sashiko still occupies only a small area of bookshelf space in the bookshops here, and Western-style stitching is more popular than sashiko. So it’s still not mainstream. 

I did kit pieces over the years to learn the stitches, but it was only after a life-changing illness a few years ago that I became seriously hooked and started drawing up designs myself. Nowadays I belong to a group and learn from a teacher.    I’m still no expert at stitching, but I’m an addict, and my life is richer because of sashiko. My language skills give me access to all kinds of experiences in the sashiko world in Japan; meeting people, seeing exhibitions, and learning from books. This is the kind of thing that I’d like to share with you here in this blog: information about the contemporary sashiko scene in Japan that would be difficult to know about otherwise because of the language barrier.

​I hope you’ll join me on my adventures!
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22 Comments
Korppi10
9/14/2017 06:02:26 pm

Great site, Alison! Looking forward to learning all about sashiko!

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Alison
9/16/2017 07:32:59 pm

Thank you and glad to hear it!

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Helen Iwata link
9/16/2017 03:50:07 pm

Wonderful that you're spreading the word about sashiko, Alison. Looking forward to seeing how this grows :)

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Alison
9/16/2017 07:33:44 pm

Me too!

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Carolyn Winchcombe
9/16/2017 04:27:15 pm

Brilliant ! Cannot wait to see your adventures in the world of Sashiko and what a cute dog :)

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Alison
9/16/2017 07:34:54 pm

Thank you Carolyn!

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Rowan White
9/16/2017 04:41:21 pm

Looking great! I'm looking forward to learning about sashiko and all the different types there are.

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Alison
9/16/2017 07:35:41 pm

Thanks. Welcome to the fascinating world of sashiko!

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Carol du Toit
9/16/2017 07:13:56 pm

Will be here gleaning, so happy!

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Alison
9/16/2017 07:36:20 pm

Delighted to hear it, Carol!

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Dee
9/18/2017 12:50:40 am

Can't wait to read more about sashiko. I've just completed my second fukin and have lots of questions! Are you on Instagram?

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Alison
9/18/2017 11:28:28 am

That's a good start Dee! I'm not on Instagram, but perhaps one day.

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Margaret Barter
10/11/2017 04:50:17 am

Hi Alison,
I love your work, so interesting. I know Auntie Lois would too and be wanting to do it and share with her family and friends. Love from cousin Margie ( Watts )

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Alison
10/11/2017 11:13:00 am

Thank you for reading, Margie. I wish I'd been in time to show Auntie Lois this.

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Céline
1/2/2018 03:04:12 pm

Hi Alisson,
Thank you so much for sharing with us. I just discovered sashiko and I have started doing some a few weeks ago. I am very interested in learning more about it. I am French, leaving in Shanghai and going to live in Tokyo in a few months. Can't wait to read more about it in your blog....and Happy new year!

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Alison
9/6/2018 09:47:10 pm

Celine, thank you very much for the comment, adn I'm so sorry for this extremely late reply. Apparently your comment went into the spam box. I hope by now you have reached Tokyo and discovered more about sashiko!

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Jacqui Greig
1/11/2018 11:53:36 am

Hi Alison. It was great to meet you and your family. Say hi! I have told my industrious friend about your sashiko interest and blog. All the best.

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Alison
1/11/2018 09:40:06 pm

Thank you for spreading the word about sashiko, Jacqui! I'm really glad I had the chance to meet you.

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Jacqueline
4/1/2018 06:20:19 pm

Hi Alison. I just stumbled on your website. I have recently fallen in love with sashiko. I live in Japan but am moving in June. I would love to find a class or sashiko workshop before I leave so I can learn what I can besides youtube and books. We just went to Aki Ginza's sashiko museum in Hinohara this afternoon. It was amazing! Any ideas for classes would be greatly appreciated. I love your blog!

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Alison
9/6/2018 09:50:17 pm

Hi Jacqui, I guess by now you have left Japan.
I hope you were able to find a class while you were here.
I also hope you're still reading the blog and many apologies for this very late reply.

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Pip Steel
7/8/2018 02:45:16 pm

Hi Alison, Greetings from New Zealand. I have just discovered your website and have been very much enjoying your posts. Thank you for sharing and providing an insight into Sashiko within Japan - often so difficult for those of us from the outside to penetrate.

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Alison
9/6/2018 09:51:41 pm

Thanks, Pip! I hope you're enjoying the blog. If you sign up for the newlsetter you'll find i tend to write more about my sashiko class doings there.

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    Watts Sashiko

    I love sashiko. I love its simplicity and complexity, I love looking at it, doing it, reading about it, and talking about it. 

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