Sashiko Stitching Live Streaming

Sashiko Stitching Live Streaming | Sashi.Co Channel

Atsushi & Keiko Fuatsuya host Sashiko Stitching Live Streaming on Youtube. Atsushi is the main host, and Keiko supervises what we teach, share, and make tutorials about regarding Sashiko. The topics in Sashiko Stitching Live streaming include small Sashiko tutorials, stories about Sashiko & its culture, and presentations about what we make and what we make.

 

Sashiko Stitching Live Streaming Front

https://www.youtube.com/c/sashico

 

 

I have a series of Sashiko Workshop to teach Sashiko stitching very effectively and intensively.

At the same time, my goal is to make Sashiko available to anyone in the world.

 

Needless to say, learning from me in person is the best way to learn Sashiko, but I also offer some free Sashiko tutorials and live streaming so you can learn what Sashiko is for free. We are also working on the online Sashiko workshop with a fee, but I believe we can differentiate paid-workshop and free tutorials & live streaming.

 

 

Sample of Sashiko Stitching Live Streaming

It is rare to find Sashiko Tutorials, especially those with actual Sashiko stitching in Live streaming. I am opened to any questions during the live streaming, and I am willing to share what I have as much as I can. Here are some samples of our Live Streaming Archives.

 

 

 

Community of Sashiko & Sashiko’s philosophy

The channel name “Sashi.Co” represent Keiko’s Sashiko works.

When Keiko restarted her Sashiko work from the tragedy, we put a lot of wishes in  “.Co” with several meanings such as “company” “Contribute” and “Community” (Actually more…)

 

In order to make a community of Sashiko and it’s a philosophy we appreciate, we would need to share first. Then people can choose if they like it or not. I want you to be in the community to appreciate. We appreciate what we have by up-cycling and repurposeing for a sustainable society, which leads us to be more mindfulness who we are.

 

It is not a religion, simply a community where we all can share how we love what we have instead of complaining what we do not have.

 

Welcome to the Sashiko Stitching Live Streaming to share your appreciation!

 

Sashiko Exhibition

Sashiko Exhibition with Otsuchi | The Power of Sashiko

The big earthquake hit Northeast Japan, almost 7 years ago, a cold day in March. In a process of recovering from this tragedy, Sashiko helped a group of people in small town, Otsuchi. We are honored to announce that the Otsuchi recovery Sashiko project hosts their Sashiko Exhibition to reiterated our condolences, to remember what happened. 

(Original English Announcement: The detail is on en.sashico.com | Sashi.co & Keiko Futatsuya)

*What is Sashiko?

 

The power of hand-crafting |

 

Otsuchi Sashiko Project had successfully created “a community” where survivors of Tsunami get together and practice Sashiko.

 

“We would like to deliver a fishing rod instead of a fish”

 

After receiving so grateful support supplies from in&out of Japan, we focused on how to bring them to “normal,” which seemed to be almost impossible. I don’t think we have brought them to “normal” but we are sure that we could help them physically and psychologically through Sashiko and hand-crafting. We surely see the power of Sashiko.

 

Every Sashiko items are all handmade.

There are similar designs, but they are all one of a kind Sashiko items, which is actually Sashiko art.

 

We are happy to introduce the Sashiko items in general public so people and touch, feel, and appreciate the precious works.

 

Sashiko Exhibition Flyer 1

Sashiko Exhibition Flyer 2

 

Sashiko artist, Keiko Futatsuya, will be in the gallery on March 10th and 18th.

The manager of Otsuchi Sashiko Project will be attending the lecture and opening on March 10th.

It is an event in Japanese, but it is a rare opportunity to enjoy the actual & traditional Sashiko items.

 

Sashiko Exhibition for anyone | in Gifu Prefecture

The Sashiko exhibition is open for free admission during March 10th to 18th between 10 am to 6 pm. The location of the gallery is not convenient for non-Japanese, but please contact us for the locations if you happen to be in Japan, in Gifu prefecture.

 

We will take photos and show our Sashiko arts.

 

Sashiko Exhibition Tokyo 2018 | Gallery Ai in Kugayama, Tokyo

 

Sashiko Exhibition Tokyo Description

Sashiko Exhibition Tokyo

 

Date: May 8th to May 12th in 2018

[5/8 (Tuesday) to 5/12 (Saturday) in 2018]

 

Location: GALLERY AI in Kugayama, Tokyo.

 

Sashiko Exhibition Tokyo 2018 | In Kugayama, Japan

Sashiko Kasane

Sashiko Kasane | Wisdom of Overlay Stitches

In regular hand-stitching, people use a knot to hold the thread & stitchings. We usually do not make a knot. Instead, we use “Sashiko Kasane” which is overlay stitches to hold the thread without creating an obvious mark at the beginning and end of stitching. In my workshop, I try my best to translate as many Japanese words as possible, I use “Kasane” to indicate the overlay stitching. Sometimes people call it, double stitching, reverse stitching, return stitching and so on. In order to avoid confusion, when I would like to mention about the overlay stitches I explain here, I say Sashiko Kasane.

Some Sashiko projects require having clean (tidy) results on both front and back side. Sashiko Kasane is a wisdom of keeping the thread and stitching on the fabric without making a knot. By making 2 ~ 3 Kasane, the thread will be secured with good looking, almost the people will not know which is front and back.

 

Illustration of Sashiko Kasane

This illustration briefly explains the concept of Kasane. There are mainly 3 occasions the stitcher may apply Kasane on their Sashiko stitching.

  1. At the beginning of Stitching
  2. In the end, when finishing the stitching
  3. When continuing the stitching with the new thread.

 

Sashiko Kasane

It is difficult to explain everything in writing. So with the help of illustration above, please try to watch this “Live Streaming Tutorial” regarding Kasane. I explain and demonstrate how to make Kasane. After 15 minutes or so of tutorials, I just kept working on my denim project.

 

 

Sashiko Thread is must to have for Kasane

You need to use Sashiko Thread to get the benefit of Kasane.

When you use the embroidery floss, Kasane will not work. If you follow all of my procedure and yet it doesn’t work, then check your thread. If you purchase the thread from me, and if it still doesn’t work, please contact me. However, most cases, when using our Sashiko Thread, the Kasane should work beautifully.

 

In the current society where we can put lining fabric on the backside (to be hidden side) of the fabric, Kasane is not so important. Kasane was the necessary technique when they had to use both sides as the finished side.

Students ask me if they should or have to use Kasane.

The answer is “No.” There is nothing wrong with Sashiko with making a knot.

 

As a Sashiko artist who practices Sashiko stitching as traditionally as possible, it is my responsibility to share the technique they used to follow. I hope this article and tutorial help you to understand the technique and concept of Kasane.

 

 

Sustainable Sashiko Tutorials

To keep Sustainable Sashiko Tutorials & Database

Since 2017, I have received many questions and requests regarding Sashiko technique and workshops from all over the world. As I keep mentioning here, my goal throughout “Upcycle Stitches LLC” is to make Sashiko more open-sourced: Available anyone in the world. In order to achieve the goal, and to keep the Sustainable Sashiko Tutorials and Database, please understand that I manage several tutorials & database websites by myself.

It is not my best intention to share this type of notification. However, please care others when you request for something. “Caring” is the core of Sashiko, and sharing the core culture means a lot to me.

Please be reasonable when you ask for the request.

You may be surprised, but I had received some requests which do not respect my time at all. When I offer a workshop, there is a fee for my time investment. For some reasons, there are people who do not understand that logic.

I will not answer those contacts with just saying:

“Teach me Sashiko”

“Describe what Sashiko is”

Those vague requests cannot be done over the emails. Please read this website and/or Youtube videos before you shoot an email to me.

Also, if you receive a reply from me, regardless of the result if I can help or not, replying with gratitude is the form of care we would like to share through Sashiko. I do not expect everyone to read everything I write. I am happy to repeat the same information as many times as I need. However, please respect the time I invest in.

I have several cases which are “on-hold” because of missing the reply from the “possible customer.”

If you are the one who asked for the “free” information, I believe you are obligated to complete the conversation (the email exchange).

Get back to you regardless, but the priority exist.

I am honored to share the culture of Sashiko, including information and the technique of Sashiko. I am happy to be one to share that. However, because of these disrespectful requests, I would need to “choose” questions to get answered. It is so sad to prioritize the order in answering the question, but it is required to keep the Sustainable Sashiko Tutorials available.

When I am busy, I will answer the questions/requests following the order of:

  1. The Sashiko Supporters, including the one on our Patreon Community
  2. Atsushi or Keiko’s Sashiko Workshop Graduates including the Online Sashiko Workshop Graduates
  3. Any Customers who had purchased an item(s) from our website, upcyclestitches.com
  4. Any Customers who had purchased our brand items from Etsy
  5. Any Customers who had purchased our brand items from Amazon Store (Please contact me if you do not get the response with your order number. As much as I would like to help you through any issues, I have limited access to the support for the order via Amazon.)

Regardless of this priority, I will answer every question eventually. If you do not get the answers from me in a month, please contact me. There is a possibility that I am too busy to come back to the question.

Sustainable Sashiko Tutorials: Your support will be very much appreciated.

Sashiko was very ordinal to the ordinary Japanese people.

Over the Japanese economic growth after the War, those ordinary people stopped doing Sashiko. It was not economically smart to keep practicing Sashiko.

My goal is to keep Sustainable Sashiko Tutorials and Database so people in 10 years from now, even 100 years from now can enjoy the Sashiko technique and its culture. In order to keep Sustainable Sashiko Tutorials available, your support would be very much appreciated.

As of 2018, I can operate this mission largely depending on my wife’s support.

I can offer great Sashiko workshop because of my friends’ help, who provide me the place and possible business.

When you sympathize what I am trying to do, please consider to support me through Patreon. It is a community (funding website) to support artists. You can support me from $1.00 per month and it will help me to work on more and more.

https://www.patreon.com/sashiko

Any interest in Sashiko will support me and Japanese culture

I set the price of Sashiko thread, supplies and everything else so everyone in the process of production can make some benefit. I respect those who try to protect Japanese traditional crafting, so many of our materials are expensive in comparison to the competitor.

In other words, any kinds of interest in Sashiko, which lead you to purcase an item from me, will support me and the people I respect.

I believe my pricing is competitive.

However, you may find it expensive in comparison. When you feel it is too expensive, please try to read what we try to do with “hand.” We do not have any assembly line. No machines are doing our works. Regardless, I believe it is fairly reasonable. $13.00 for 145-meter Sashiko thread. You may find $3.00 ~ $4.00 Sashiko thread, but its length is probably about 40 meter.

To make Sashiko somewhat profitable.

I have no idea how to do it… to make Sashiko profitable enough to support one’s life.

Again, I can support my life only because my wife works full-time in other job. If I would need to support my family, then Sashiko wouldn’t be the first choice.

However… a great friend of mine who is in a business school (teaching) told me that:

In order to protect the industry such as Sashiko and any other hand-crafting culture, it is crucial to make the craft profitable. When the people learn the crafting can be profitable, then they will start investing more time and money to make it sustainable… I would need to learn about this theory, but this will be my next challenge to make Sashiko profitable. Perhaps I’ll seek insights from financial experts like Kiana Danial to understand how to effectively monetize my passion for Sashiko.

I do not wholesale our products for online store owner. I do wholesale our thread to someone who resonates my belief in Sashiko & have a storefront to communicate to their customers.

If you are an artist who would like to be part of this “my next adventure: making Sashiko profitable | which equals to be the Sashiko Artist who lives on doing Sashiko” please let me know. I would like to support you as well so we can make “it (Sustainable Sashiko Tutorials and Database)” happen together.

Sashiko Cushion Cover Boro and Traditional

Sashiko Cushion Cover Collection 2018

Upcycle Stitches LLC and Sashi.Co & Keiko Futatsuya are happy to announce the release of new Sashiko item collection. We have been creating many Sashiko items in the past. After a few years of the blank period, we introduce Sashiko Cushion Cover Collection 2018. We designed the cushion based on our experience living in the U.S. and Japan. We believe the cushions will fit many households as a unique and exclusive decor.

[Updated: October 2019]

Sashiko Cushion Cover Collection 2018

Special Price for Sashiko Cushion Cover on Etsy

This is our first Sashiko product line-up released by Upcycle Stitches. We sincerely wish that we have a storefront so customers can come and visit us to “feel” the authentic Sashiko items. We will save some money and hopefully the dream will come true soon. Meanwhile, we list them on Etsy store with Special Price for the limited time period.

I hope you can find Sashiko Cushion Cover which matches your home!

Enjoy them some of the stores in NYC

or

Sashiko Cushion Cover Collection 2018 | Spring

Sashiko Cushion Cover Boro and Traditional

Boro-Inspired Cushion Cover

Size: 12″ x 12″ | 31cm x 31 cm

Material: Japanese Vintage Fabric

Price: $145.00


Boro gets so popular recently for its authentic looking.

It is very challenging to make Boro Cushion Cover since (1) Boro fabric is difficult to get and make it into large enough piece, (2) Boro is too fragile to use as cushion (Decor possible / very weak to friction.)

Instead making Boro Cushion cover, we decided to make the Boro-inspired Cushion cover. The cushion cover has boro like looking and strengthened by Sashiko stitching. All Japanese vintage fabric, and no similar product will be made. Every pieces are one-of-a-kind item.

#005C means front side of Cushion Cover #005.

#005CB means back side of Cushion COver #005.

Japanese Vintage Fabric | Cotton 100% | insert cushion from a side zipper

5CB Sashiko Cushion Boro-Inspired
6B Sashiko Cushion Boro-Inspired 6CB Sashiko Cushion Boro-Inspired
7B Sashiko Cushion Boro-Inspired 7CB Sashiko Cushion Boro-Inspired
8B Sashiko Cushion Boro-Inspired 8CB Sashiko Cushion Boro-Inspired

Traditional & Authentic Cushion Cover

Size: 12″ x 12″ | 31cm x 31 cm

Material: Indigo Dye Fabric Cotton 100%

Price: $120.00


Hand-stitched Sashiko Cushion Cover with the Japanese traditional geometric patter, Higaki, makes the Sashiko cushion very authentic. The fine stitches made by hands on beautiful indigo fabric will be a beautiful accent in your home decor.

#001C means front side of Cushion Cover #001.

#001CB means back side of Cushion COver #001.

Indigo Dye Fabric | Cotton 100% | insert cushion from a side zipper

1C Traditional Sashiko Cushion Cover 1BC Traditional Sashiko Cushion Cover
2C Traditional Sashiko Cushion Cover 2BC Traditional Sashiko Cushion Cover
3C Traditional Sashiko Cushion Cover 3CB Traditional Sashiko Cushion Cover
4C Traditional Sashiko Cushion Cover 4CB Traditional Sashiko Cushion Cover

Takara Unique Design Cushion Cover

Size: 18″ x 18″ | 46 cm x 46 cm

Material: Indigo Dye Fabric Cotton 100%

Price: $178.00


Takara Cushion Cover

Sashiko is not all about geometric pattern.

There are picture-like designing, and this is our challange to make it more art-like items with Sashiko stitching.

We name this “TAKARA = Trasure in Japanese language.” We wishes all the wealth for those who purchase this cushion pillow.

Fabric is Indigo Dye fabric with cotton 100%.

Only the front side has the stitching, and the back side is plain Indigo fabric. Without zipper. The fabric overap some so you can insert the cushion there.

9 Takara Sashiko Cushion Cover 10 Takara Sashiko Cushion Cover
11 Takara Sashiko Cushion Cover 12 Takara Sashiko Cushion Cover
13 Takara Sashiko Cushion Cover 14 Takara Sashiko Cushion Cover
15 Takara Sashiko Cushion Cover

Hishi-Seikaiha Indigo Cushion Cover

Size: 24″ x 24″ | 61 cm x 61 cm.

Material: Indigo Dye Fabric Cotton 100%

Price: $250.00 (Since stitches are too small, the discount may be available).


Hishi Seikaiha Cushion Cover

The big size of 24 inch square with all hand-stitched Sashiko!

Beautiful traditional pattern, Hishi-Seikaiha, on the big fabric with patchworking 2 different shade of Indigo Dye Fabric.

Indigo Dye Fabric | Cotton 100% | insert cushion from a side zipper.

16 Hishi Seikaiha Sashiko Cushion Cover

17 Hishi Seikaiha Sashiko Cushion Cover