Sashiko

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New Year, New Bags (and a giveaway!)

~ This giveaway is no longer accepting entries.  Scroll down to see who won! ~

Happy New Year and あけましておめでとうございます everyone!  In addition to wandering the streets of Tokyo in the middle of the night, I’ve decided that what 2011 really needs is a new stock of bags in my web shop.  Hooray for 2011!

Maybe you resolved to be a bit more organized?  Or want to treat yourself for surviving 78-straight hours of family?  Well, it’s your lucky day year!

And what better way to start a new year than to give things away.   That’s right dear readers, in honor of the Year of the Rabbit 卯 I’ve whipped up two (let the record show that I wanted to make 2,011…) polka-dot, sashiko-clad, bunny-lined zipper bags that are just hopping mad for some new homes:

If you’d like a chance at one, leave me a comment by 12:00 midnight EST USA time on January 4th (that’s 2 pm, January 5th Tokyo time).  Maybe tell me your predictions for 2011 (Zombies take over the world and finally rid us of teen vampire movies?  Yay!), or perhaps something you’d like to see on this blog (more ramen photos? OK!), or just a little note to say “Hi, friend.”  I’ll use the random number generator to select TWO winners, lucky you!  And you!

Fine print: One entry per person/e-mail address. The winners will be selected using random.org and announced as an update to this post, so come back here for the announcement.  Items can be shipped worldwide.  Good luck!

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And the winners are… commenters 15 & 9!  Congrats to Nick and Bridget, and a special thanks to everyone for their comments, predictions, and notes!  Keep an eye on Saké Puppets for more giveaways – this was much too fun to do only once!  You can also check out my web shop to score a bag of your own.  Happy Year of the Rabbit!  Best, Ang


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New!

New items are now posted in the web shop!  I apologize for the cyberquiet on the blog this past week.  Here’s what I’ve been up to:

My fingers have been busy.  Actually, they’re still stitching away (and loving every minute of it).  Though it might be tight in terms of Christmas shipping, I hope to keep the ball rolling and add more items throughout the week.  Thanks for looking!

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The Big Reveal…

I’m so pleased to finally reveal the project I’ve been working on the past few months — a little place of my own at the online marketplace, Etsy!

Now up and running, my web shop features handmade goods with unique Japanese details. Yay! Right now I’m starting slowly, with small bags in all shapes and sizes with sashiko embellishments.  A common way for women in Japan to stay organized, these mini bags make switching between handbags quick and painless.

I hope to add much more in the near future, including bento box lunch sets, sashiko-detailed linens, and even some DIY kits.  So check back often!

Delighted by new resources and smitten by Japanese whimsy, I’m taking it to the streets Internet for some crafty, handmade fun.

Many forces have converged to help make this project possible.  Thanks to all my friends and family who have given me feedback and support.  I’m so grateful!  And a special thanks to my partner-in-craft, Spoppy and his awesomely eerie illustrations.  In case you are curious about our creative process:

Yep, it’s that seamless.

So take a peek!  I’d also love to hear what you think, so feel free to send me feedback, emails composed entirely of emoticons, or just notes of greeting to sakepuppets <at> gmail <dot> com.

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A Beautiful Stab in the Neighborhood

Yesterday I attended my second sashiko class at Blue & White (you can read about my first class here and more about sashiko here).  I was a little hesitant to go — though I had a lovely time last month, the class is a bit expensive and the question-and-answer format is not ideal, considering I can’t ask a question in Japanese, let alone understand the response.  But I went, figuring it would be my last for a while.

When I arrived three other women were already at the table, and another followed me into the shop.  All of them seemed to know each other, and were quite lively with their greetings.  I was able to contribute a little はじめまして (nice to meet you), and we all sat down.

The class quickly devolved into a series of show-and-tells, each woman showing off her sashiko to the others.  It was fun to see all their different projects — two were working on table coverings, one was free-hand stitching a Christmas tree, and another pulled about 10 (yes, 10!) projects out of her bag.  Fortunately, complete awe is a universal language, and we all nodded in admiration as each project came to the table.  Later, the shop’s owner joined us.  She translated for me a bit, and explained the ladies were joking about some of their uneven sashiko lines — some done before nap time and others after.

As I went to leave, I gave each woman a bow and a thank you.  I’d had a lovely time yet again, and decided perhaps the class was worth the price of admission, if only to spend a few hours giggling with other 主婦 (housewives).  Then they sent me on my way — with lunch!  That’s right, one of ladies actually gave me her homemade rice and sweet potato lunch.  Perhaps she was trying to entice me back, or more likely she felt sorry for me and thought I needed a home-cooked meal.  There may have been something lost in translation, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t steal her lunch.  She gave it to me!  Whatever the case, I was completely touched, and went home feeling a little choked up.  Maybe I’ll have to check out the November class after all.

A Tokyo local and interested in the sashiko class?  They’re held monthly at Blue & White, 2-9-2 Azabu juban, Minato-ku, tel. 03 3451 0537

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Feeling Stabby – An Update

A few weeks ago I gushed about my new favorite form of needlework, sashiko.  Since then, my stabby little fingers have been busy: I finished up one project, started two more, and attended my first sashiko class.  Whew, what a busy Stab-tember!

Thanks for all the great suggestions on what to do with my finished shippo tsunagi 七宝つなぎ.  I think it’s destined to become part of a bigger whole, but I don’t have the heart to hide it in a closet until then.  And so, a quick stitch into a pillow case seemed like a good interim solution.

Careful there, clothes can make things difficult for a hen.

With one finished piece under my belt, I felt pretty good about going into my first sashiko class.  And it was great!  Conducted entirely in Japanese, it was just a few women sitting around a table, with the sensei directing us individually whenever we needed help.  I spent most of my class time listening to the other women in the room chatter, and surprisingly picked up more of their conversations than I thought I could.  I guess my limited vocabulary of mostly craft terms helped me, for once.

I came home with a new project in hand, a small table covering decorated with teacups.  The biggest difference about my new project is that it is not printed directly onto the fabric, but is instead traced on using white carbon paper.  The indigo fabric and thread were also much better quality, and when I got home I discovered my fingers were a wonderful shade of blue from the dyes.

The needle is also much smaller than the one I picked up at the craft store during my first week here, though much sharper and I think perhaps I prefer it.  I signed up for the October class, so  I’ll be sure to keep you up-to-stab!

A Tokyo local and interested in the sashiko class?  They’re held monthly at Blue & White, 2-9-2 Azabu juban, Minato-ku, tel. 03 3451 0537

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I’ll Stab You.

I thought I’d reveal some of what my crafty little fingers are up to when not riding bikes through the city or sloshing through fish guts.  Three weeks of radio silence, or, shall I say cybershush? (thanks for that, spoppy!) combined with a few cross-Pacific flights, and this embroidery project didn’t stand a chance.  Honestly, it was so addictive I couldn’t put it down.

You may remember that during one of my first ventures into a craft store here in Tokyo, I emerged with some sashiko supplies.  Sashiko 刺し子 literally meaning “little stabs,” is a Japanese style of embroidery used to decoratively reinforce fabric, though nowadays I think it’s all for fun.  The pattern I picked up is called shippo tsunagi 七宝つなぎ, or seven treasures, and it was printed directly onto the fabric.  You simply follow the lines.

Sashiko needles are really long for optimum stabbing.  On the left you’ll see my regular embroidery needle, and on the right, I can’t believe I found a US quarter!

Stab the needle through the fabric, following the pattern, until you have a few stitches lined up.  Then, pull your thread through.

I found a rhythm, doing this over and over again.  Stab stab stab, pull.  The patterns look a little confusing until you break it down into small parts.  Stab stab stab, over and over again.

And voila!  So now the question is, what to do with my finished block?  I have some ideas, but I’d love to hear your suggestions.  In the meantime, I think I might have to find some more patterns.  I’m still feeling a little stabby.

Update – since posting this morning, I’ve had even more sashiko excitement!  I wandered into a store in my neighborhood (that coincidentally only sells blue and white things) and discovered they offer sashiko classes!  I immediately signed up for the next one in September.  I might also consider it language practice, since the whole class will be in Japanese… Can’t wait!