Category: News

Sashiko Contribution

Sashiko Contribution | when you need Atsushi to write

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In 2019, I experienced the steep increase of inquiries asking me to write my insight, opinion, or understanding of Sashiko in the form of the contribution to an article to magazines, brochures, and books. As much as I would like to be their help, I have very limited capacity in 2019. So here is the policy for Sashiko Contribution that I can offer.

Sashiko Contribution for Academic Purpose

If you would like to have my writing for your research in the academic organization such as a university, please contact me with your academic background, the name of the institution, and possibly the thesis statement for your research.

I am happy to contribute to the development of Sashiko in the academic setting. The Sashiko contribution will be free of charge, and I will do my best to share what I have.

Although it is free of charge to write, it would be very much appreciated if you could take the workshop Atsushi offers (In-person and/or Online).

Sashiko Contribution for Commercial Purpose

If you would like to have my writing for the commercial purpose, such as publishing a book, a brochure for your organization (including the one with Non-Profit Organization), and your business, I will ask for the fee based on your requests and the purpose for the writing. When you contact me, please offer the fee you are thinking of. I will consider your inquiry attentively and get back to you. If you are not willing to pay for my writing yet would like to have them on your media, please try to follow the basic procedure below.

Please do not handle this lightly. A page of me writing about Sashiko may sound an easy job. However, if I am the one who writes, there will be a responsibility to what I write.

I am not a professional writer. English is my second language. However (therefore), I have to be very careful in writing what I would like to communicate. I cannot just write up without careful.

Free Sashiko Contribution?

I no longer accept the Probono work. I learned that people will handle the “free stuff” very lightly and less mindfully.

However, I also understand that it is unusual to pay compensation for just simply writing. So, here is my boundary. Please follow the list below, and I will be happy to be part of your work.

  1. Take the Sashiko Stitching Workshop (Core and Basic), either In-person or Online Sashiko Class.

That’s it. I want the writer (author) to know what I am sharing with the Sashiko we practice. The best way is to take the well-structured workshop I offer.

Other favors to ask to have a better mutual understanding and respect would be:

  1. Support us via Patreon and read my stories
  2. provide me a few copies of publications when it is in the market

For the Probono (No fee) work, please understand that the writing itself is my property, and you will just use them as the reference on your book.

Other than Sashiko Contribution

For non-native English amateur writer like me, “Writing (leaving the solid documents)” on something deeply related to Japanese culture is very challenging and scary. There is a huge risk of misunderstanding when I do not write the paragraph attentively and carefully.

The fee is for my time to be careful and thorough to what I write. If it is a matter of you writing based on what I write (Interpretation of what I have written), then I wouldn’t ask for the fee. Again, I am not a professional writer.

In those cases, please kindly inform me that you are referring my writing (when, where and about what). Please apply the appropriate citation standard as well. I will give you permission to use as the reference, but I will not give up the copyright.

Interview as the Alternative

Phone or Video-chat interview would be a good alternative to save the fee. Although at this point, I am not sure if I should do the interview for free of charge, I would like to see how it goes. Since it will be my merely talking about Sashiko, and you summarizing what I say as your interpretation, then I wouldn’t probably need that much return in this process.

If you are interested in interviewing me, please provide the list of information below.

  • The media that you would use the interview on.
  • The list of question in advance to the actual interview
  • Why you would like to have my comments on your media.

Using the current media as References

We have many media where I share the insight, understanding, and wisdom of the Sashiko we practice. Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, and this website.

A lot of your questions and interests are already discussed on either media. It would be very respectful of you to look for the topic first on those media first.

Instagram to Patreon

I had been sharing many stories about the Sashiko we practice on Instagram with many photos. With some unfortunate events, I decided to stop writing so many contents on Instagram – where anyone can see and say what they want out of their mind. Instead, I will keep the journey of sharing the Sashiko insights on the Patreon, where I ask a monthly contribution so I can spend a good amount of time to share & discuss if there is any conflict.

When you are interested in the Sashiko we practice to the level of asking me to write about the Sashiko we practice, it would be so much helpful to be a supporter and read through what I have been sharing first.

I am a human after all. As much as I respect the policy I implemented here, I have a preference in who I will be working together. When you ask me questions indicating you have not read my words mindfully before, then I will be discouraged to work with you. When I can tell you read and respect what I write, then I will be happy to work with. I may accept the offer even without the fee and specific purpose on the media.

I believe what I am asking here is reasonable. When you ask for someone to spend their time, you would either need to compensate for their time, or you spend the same amount of time in knowing who you are asking for.

Thank you very much for your understanding. Enjoy Sashiko Stitching and also reading my writing on Patreon. Remember, though. The truth exists in practice (stitching).

Keiko Visits Otsuchi Sashiko

Keiko visits Otsuchi Sashiko.1

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Keiko (from Sashi.Co & Keiko Futatsuya) visited Otsuchi to share the workshop with members of Otsuchi Recover Sashiko Project on June 13th in 2019. The administrative group in Otsuchi Sashiko updated their blog with her visit, so here is a translated version for their writing. I appreciate their time to share the previous time with Keiko. It is the translation from their article part.1.

*The Original blog in Japanese, as well as the other articles about Otsuchi Sashiko, is available at the end of this article.

Keiko visits Otsuchi Sashiko

(Tried direct translation)

Hello.

We offered a Sashiko Workshop by Keiko-san to our project members. Keiko told us that she would like to see us again and stitched together, then she drove more than 10 hours (one-way!) to make this workshop happened.

The members (they call them Sashiko-san) enjoyed the workshop with passion with longing to see Keiko for a long time. It is a lot of writing to summarize in one article, so we will write the series of articles.

Keiko arrived from Takayama (in Gifu Prefecture) to Otsuchi (in Iwate Prefecture) a day before the workshop with bringing many Sashiko samples, supplies and a mountain of hand-dyed Sashiko thread (This is one reason she prefer driving over flying). Look at her smile after so much driving. The photo is with the administrative staff of the project and Keiko in the project office.

The day of Keiko Sashiko Workshop

The entrance with Sashiko-san visiting the workshop space with Kanako san at the desk.

Sashiko-san were so happy to see Keiko after so many days. They all enjoyed the conversation with Keiko.

Keiko brought many Sashiko Jackets and bags (what Keiko made) for sharing the Sashiko ideas. Keiko even wears one of them. Look at the smiles.

17 members in the project participated in this workshop. With sharing the photos of excited Sashiko-san’s photos, we will conclude the article here. We will write more about the actual workshop.

[Editor’s note]

I just wanted to share this article as soon as possible. I will summarize them later on with more information (like link to our philosophy to make the article easier to understand. This is one of the biggest reasons I continue Sashiko. I am very happy with this opportunity, and more importantly, their smiles (& serious faces).

二ッ谷恵子さん講習会～前編～
Original Blog in Japanese
Otsuchi Recovery Sashiko Project
General introduction of Otsuchi Recovery Sashiko Project
https://upcyclestitches.com/otsuchi-recovery-sashiko-project/
Sashiko Exhibition with Otsuchi | The Power of Sashiko
An announcement for the exhibition of Otsuchi with Keiko & Sashi.co

 

 

Sashiko Thread Spring 2019 Cover

Sashiko Thread Spring 2019 | Quick Update

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I used to stick to only one type of Sashiko Thread. After opening the online store in the USA, I spent some time and investment to provide the more variety of the great thread for Sashiko. Here is a quick update for the Sashiko Thread Spring 2019.

4 Choices | Sashiko Thread Spring 2019

We carry several types of Sashiko thread. Please check the numbers to understand our preference and standard.

  1. Keiko’s Hand-Dye & Coron Synthetic Dye Sashiko Thread
  2. White Collection & Unique Color Maru Sashiko Thread
  3. Variety of Yokota Sashiko Thread
  4. Kakishibu Fujix Thread

Ideally speaking, the Sashiko thread we carry need to fulfill the standard we expect: to be the part of the fabric. I am sure that the Sashiko Thread (1) will do the job we set as the standard. After all, it is our regular Sashiko thread. The thread (2) is also sufficient for all of the characteristic of Sashiko. It has been about a year since I start using the Sashiko Thread (2), and it is always a pleasure to work with.

The Sashiko Thread (3), Yokota thread, and the thread (4) from Fujix are very good quality thread manufactured by a long-established & big thread company. I use both of them occasionally and enjoy the stitching. The overlay stitches perform its function. However, I cannot declare that it is 100% satisfactory to our standard as of now because it has been only a few months since I started using it. The Yokota thread in “thin” thickness may be our least preference for Kasane & denim stitching, but great for the smaller projects.

Regardless of my honest confess above, I believe all of 4 threads are fulfilling the expectation to be a good Sashiko thread.

How about the other Thread?

I am aware that there are many other Sashiko threads available in the market. As I always say, you can use any kind of thread you would like. There is no such thing as right or wrong Sashiko. You don’t need to purchase the new thread for the Sashiko purpose if you have other thread.

However, please understand that the technique and wisdom I introduce “may” not work with the thread I do not carry. Also, in order to our Sashiko – which focus on the appreciation to the fabric, and as the thread to support the fabric, I strongly recommend using in the thread above.

I tried some of the thread and didn’t like some of them. For the others, I simply do not feel the needs of trying it. There are reasons why we have limited kinds of Sashiko threads, and I want you to have the best out of the best since you would spend so much time in Sashiko.

Enjoy One of a Kind

I am so proud of the Natural Dye & Hand-dye Sashiko thread produced by Sashi.Co & Keiko Futatsuya. It is all “one of a kind” because they are hand-dyed with natural dyes. However, those with “gradient color” are the significant one of a kind color. Enjoy the Murazome while supplies last. We try our best to keep offering the similar threads, but it requires “luck” to make it happen as well.

Sashiko Workshop in Japan

Sashiko Workshop in Japan | Quick Update 2019

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We appreciate the interest in our Sashiko Workshop opportunity in Japan. As of Spring 2019, we do not offer the Sashiko Workshop in Japan regularly for non-Japanese speakers. If you are able to speak/understand the Japanese, please check Keiko’s Japanese website for more details.

If you would like to have the privately arranged workshop in Japan while your trip to Japan, please check the below and follow the procedure. Keiko lives in Takayama city, Gifu Prefecture. Her schedule is pretty packed for the year 2019, but we will do our best to arrange the workshop when the condition meets.

We will prioritize the scheduling to the graduates of Atsushi’s Sashiko workshop (in-person / Online Class), to maximize the learning experience for the visitors. If you haven’t taken Atsushi’s Sashiko workshop, please consider taking it first.

Customize Sashiko Workshop in Japan

Boro making Workshops in Japan

We had offered several “Boro Making” Workshops in Japan. Before we developed the Online Sashiko Class, we did our best to communicate the basic & core of Sashiko by using the translating App. Since we are now ready with the Online Sashiko Class, we would like you to take this workshop first, then plan the workshop in Japan.

We are a group of mother (Keiko in Japan) and son (Atsushi in the USA). Keiko is a genius artist but not a good teacher. In order to share the Sashiko we are enjoying, it is necessary for you to go through the basic & core of Sashiko.

In other words, if you have taken the workshop with Atsushi, please feel free to contact me for arranging the possible (Boro-making) workshop in Japan.

Archive of Boro-Making Sashiko Workshop in Japan

Boro Inspired Sashiko Patchwork Workshop | May 3rd

Sashiko Workshop in Japan for recommendation

As one of the frequent asked questions regarding the Sashiko Workshop in Japan, I am often asked if I have any recommendation to Sashiko.

As you may have learned throughout this website & Youtube, Sashiko was a form of hand-stitching developed in each household, each region, and in each community. Therefore, regardless of the numbers of great looking Sashiko groups in many places in Japan, I cannot make the recommendation to represent the Sashiko we practice. There is many ramifications in Sashiko, and we are merely one of the branches.

Please be advised that I will not provide the recommendation for the Sashiko Workshop in Japan.

Atsushi’s Friends (students) may be available

Alternatively, I have (and can ask to) my friends who took my Sashiko Class & experienced in Sashiko to offer you the workshop. As of Spring 2019, the workshop “may” be available in cities below.

  • Sapporo – Hokkaido

This is a list of my friends offering the workshop with my “kind of” supervision. They do not speak English, so you may need to prepare the translator on your side.

Not a “Flash Experience” of Sashiko

We understand that the “need” is the Sashiko experience available in Japan. However, I would like to make sure that we can deliver the “rich experience of Sashiko” instead of “A flash & temporary experience” with Sashiko.

Once you take our workshops, we promise you will be part of our activities and will open our door to your requests. We sincerely hope to meet you there.

Sashiko Shopping Experience Cover

Sashiko Shopping Experience by Keiko & Atsushi

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It is our goal to provide “everything” you need to enjoy Japanese Sashiko. We are still a group of Keiko and Atsushi (A mother and her son), and therefore we do not have enough capital to open a storefront or a physical store. However, we strive to do our best to deliver the best quality and well-thought products & tools for your Sashiko. For you as a customer, the Sashiko Shopping Experience through our website is very important. I hope you would spare some of your time to read this article for better understanding of what we provide. Since more than half of our products and items have “one-of-a-kind” character, such as hand-made and hand-dyed, we are not the same as other mass-produced, big brand, manufacture online store. However it is, our goal is to provide the best Sashiko Shopping Experience available. Enjoy Sashiko!

A choice of Sashiko Shopping Experience

Here is a list of places (websites) where you can get out products and items.

Each media has pros and cons. To provide as many options as possible is my intention to improve the Sashiko Shopping Experience.

Official Site | Upcyclestitches.Com

This is our official website and store is attached to it with using the Ecwid Shopping cart. You can use the credit card and/or Paypal to purchase our Sashiko thread, fabric, tools, and registration for the Sashiko workshop.

Since it is the official website, Atsushi will be on top of the customer service. If you have no preferences of “where” to purchase, please consider using this website for you and for me (in terms of supporting me for Sashiko activity.)

The order usually will be shipped the next business day with the shipping method you choose, and the package should be delivered within 2 to 5 days within the USA. When the order is made during the morning time, the package may be shipped on the same day. USPS pick up the packages around noon on weekday and Saturday.

Upcyclestitches.com is also a great place to purchase the special deal, such as Fukubukuro, which I offered at the beginning of 2019. We believe that the website is informative, and we intend to make the website more informative by adding many articles. Our goal is to motivate you enjoy shopping while you learn about Sashiko without any stress, so any feedback for the website would be appreciated.

I am confident with what I do, Sashiko, but not a good engineer or designer who can make the great website… I gotta learn more and more.

*Since I don’t have option to control the inventory by option via Ecwid, sometimes, it is not so convenient to use the website. For “one-of-a-kind” product (besides the Sashiko Jackets), Etsy Store below may be the better place to shop.

Etsy – Upcycle Stitches Store

We started Etsy store before I established Upcycle Stitches LLC. It was a place where Keiko and I sell something we made, as a craft-creator. In 2019, we provide a wide range of items we use in our Sashiko production.

Since Etsy is a great place to communicate to the other artists, we sell our threads, fabric, tools, and some of our Sashiko items, including “one of a kind” products. Sashiko stitched fabric, Sashiko bags, Boro & Boro inspired patchworks. It is my goal to add more items on Etsy, please follow me there to get the updates.

Atsushi in the USA will be in charge of shipping. Therefore, the same policy will be applied as the official website, upcyclestitches.com. If you make an international order, the order may be shipped from Japan. Either way, I will make sure the customer receive the 100% satisfaction.

Pop-Up Store in East Coast

Very occasionally, Upcycle Stitches offer a Pop-Up Store in NYC or in PA. In 2018, we had a great time with “75-Collective.” in TriBeCa. Please subscribe our newsletter or follow Instagram so we can send the latest information to you.

If you plan to participate one of our Sashiko Stitching Workshop (Core & Basic), we usually bring most of the Sashiko supplies and tools. Please let us know when you have specific items you would like to see in the workshop you attend.

Amazon Store, Upcycle Stitches

We also have a storefront on “Amazon.com”.

As of now, it is impossible to ignore the impact Amazon brought to this society. Not only the customers who can get the order within 2 days with Amazon-prime, the retail-shop like us can also receive a benefit that we do not need to make the individual package.

It is our responsibility to offer the options, to receive the items within the time frame the customer requirements. Therefore, I hope you can enjoy the shopping some of the Sashiko items on our Amazon Store Page. There is, however, one favor to ask. When you purchase Sashiko supply, tool, or actually anything you would need, please be attentive to “who is selling the items” before just simply clicking the “Buy” bottun.

Since “anyone” can be a seller in the Amazon, there are many “dealers” who sell Sashiko items without proper knowledge or understanding to the culture. If you find the cheaper price by a lot, it is rational reasoning to purchase it from whomever available. However, if the price is not that much different, please care “who” is the seller.

One of my goal throughout our activities is to save Sashiko industry, which include purchasing the thread, fabric, tools and other supplies from the good manufactures in Japan. When Sashiko is in the trend, many dealers join to the market. Once the trend is over, those dealers will dump the price to clear the inventory and then move onto something else. Can you guess what happen when the dealers dump the price? It could destroy the manufactures, and it lead to the loss of its culture. I have seen it before, and I would like to protect them happening. One thing you can do as a customer is to be attentive who you are purchasing items from, as we used to do in a local store when we purchase an item (pretty much anything from grocery to even a refrigerator). If you see the lower price, please let me know. It is “our” responsibility to be competitive in pricing, and it is “customer’s” responsibility to support the culture.

*Although we are still working on the limited inventory only related to Sashiko, my big picture is to introduce all kinds of Japanese hand-craft to the world. Therefore, I am providing merchandise outside of Sashiko field. The concept is all “Enjoyable Japanese Hand-Craft”. Thank you for your understanding.

Each Media may have different stock of items.

As I mentioned above, more than half of items we sell are sort of “one of a kind”. For example, the Indigo Dye Sashiko Thread (A1) we sell on our Website may NOT the same as the one on Amazon. We try our best to keep the product page & photos updated, and please use these photos for each medium. Please do not cross shop over the mediums, especially when you would like to get the specific color (or stitches) from Natural dye (or Hand-stitching). We do not take returns based on the color difference, simply because it is impossible to provide the exact same color as the photo shows. It is the beauty of hand-dyed with natural ingredients. I appreciate your understanding.

We follow this color chart for the Sashiko thread we provide throughout the Official Website. However, on Amazon, I would like you to refer to the photos which is
on each product page.

For international customers

If you live outside of the USA, the order may be shipped out from (within) Japan. Sashi.Co & Keiko Futatsuya has their own website, and you may purchase items from there.

We try our best to match the colors on the web and the thread we deliver to you, with improving our commitment to the better Sashiko Shopping Experience.

Enjoy Sashiko in Happy Holidays

Enjoy Sashiko in Happy Holidays

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Leaves on trees get colored then fall down. We expect the snow soon and we kind of stay inside more in North East of the USA. It is the best time to sit and stitch. I am happy to announce that the great Fashion designer, Indi Kids, will have me for their wonderful event in December. The Sashiko Stitching Workshop (Core & Basic) will be available on December 8th and 9th. I hope you can find the time for your busy yet fun season. Enjoy Sashiko in Happy Holidays.

 

The Detail of Indi Kid Event

 

Sashiko Workshop Schedule

The detail of the workshop can be found on the workshop registration page.

 

  • Dec. 8th, Saturday, 9:30 am to around 1 pm for 3 hours + α | 

or

  • Dec. 8th, Saturday, 3 pm to around 6:30 pm for 3 hours + α |

or

  • Dec. 9th, Saturday, 1 pm to around 5:30 pm for 4 hours + α (Bigger Group)| 

 

I hope to meet you & see you there.

Since this is a day-long event, we are brainstorming the other workshops/offers we can make. Keep eye on our newsletter so you will not miss the information.

 

Enjoy Sashiko in Happy Holidays

Holidays can be pretty busy, too.

At the same time, you may have some time off from your routine days. I hope you will find some time to reward yourself by enjoying Sashiko. Sashiko can be very relaxing, meditative, and mindfull.

 

Sashiko makes great Gift

Enjoy Sashiko in Happy Holidays

 

 

One of the workshop participants who took the Sashiko Stitching Workshop in September shared her beautiful result. By learning Sashiko basic and core, you can make this kind of Tote bag and keep enjoying your own Sashiko projects. There aren’t many techniques you need to master to maximize the Sashiko experience. However, there is some eye-opening technique that I would like to share to enrich your Sashiko project. We hope that all of us enjoy Sashiko in Happy Holidays.

 

 

 

Sashiko Updates Fall 2018

Sashiko Updates Fall 2018 | New Project & Workshops

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I cannot believe it is almost the end of September already. It has been quite eventful early autumn for us. Here is a quick Sashiko Updates Fall 2018 to share what is going on with us. Remember, the best way to connect with us is through Instagram & Youtube Channel. I will share more “Stories” based on your request.

 

New Project!| Sashiko Updates Fall 2018 Vol.1

My passion for Sashiko got certain when I started enjoying Sashiko Mending. I have done quite many Sashiko Denim Mending and found myself without any denim jeans to mend. I didn’t touch the denim for a long time. Then, I realize, I would like to work on the denim. It is not my first choice to cut the fabric out of necessity, for the “repurposing” purpose instead of “mending”, I decided to try the new project. Cut and Patch back the denim with Sashiko Stitching all over.

It is my main project on Instagram & Youtube Live streaming. I hope I can complete the project by the end of October… It will be something new, and hopefully something to inspire some of you.

 

Sashiko Updates Fall 2018

 

Sashiko Workshop| Sashiko Updates Fall 2018 Vol.2

Thanks to many supporters, I can continue offering the Sashiko Workshops. Here is the overview of my workshop schedules.

(Updated: September 27th)

 

September

 

November

 

December

 

Online Sashiko Workshop

I am working on scheduling with the preferences from potential participants. Your feedback with preference will help me to schedule it in October or November.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_FhpQGLrkh1wZInl4e-uz_uu0GDJrQKPG952TR2UYL_XB7g/viewform?usp=sf_link

 

 

 

Sashiko Stories| Sashiko Updates Fall 2018 Vol.3

 

It was a nice surprise that people are interested in my stories regarding Sashiko. An interesting childhood with Sashiko, I kind of had a barrier that not many people wouldn’t like to listen to my stories related to Sashiko. If someone is waiting for me, I will enjoy updating my stories on Youtube Channel. If you have any topics you would like me to cover, please leave the comment here so I can talk about it as a “Sashiko Story”.

 

Support Sashiko Cover

Support Sashiko | Not only technique but Mindset

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Sashiko is a form of simple stitching developed in Japan. The technique itself is pretty simple. Sashiko become popular because of its simplicity. However, what I want to share as a Sashiko Artisan, who is native Japanese born in the surviving Sashiko family, is not only the stitching of Sashiko, but it is the mindset of Japanese people so-called “Japanese culture”. While I was talking to the supporters who keep encouraging me, we came up with one word I wouldn’t come up with by myself. “I would like to educate the society by sharing the culture of Sashiko”. We offer Sashiko art, supplies, workshop, and much more. Thanks to the many Support, Sashiko can be alive in 2018. This is a blog post, asking for your “Support Sashiko” contribution to our activities.

I moved to the USA in 2014. In 2017, I started a business named Upcycle Stitches and started sharing Sashiko.

Upcycle Stitches LLC is here thanks to many people who supported me. The business activities hugely depend on the people’s goodwill of “Support Sashiko & Atsushi”. The company is a for-profit legal entity to provide Sashiko art, items, supplies, workshops, and much more, but the support would be very much appreciated to continue our activities.

For example, the Sashiko Workshops we offer in NYC, we wouldn’t be able to offer the workshops with the same pricing & the small class sizing (About 6 participants for each 3+α workshop) without support from our dear friend, Sharon & her family. I live far from NYC and I would like to share the top quality supplies from Japan. In order to achieve our dream in NYC, the support I get from her was the necessary piece of the puzzle.

There are many ways you may support Sashiko & our activities as Upcycle Stitches. Please let me share the methods you may support Sashiko by. We would like to focus on creating more Sashiko items (Arts & Crafts) to inspire the world. Education is another part we would like to focus. We would like to teach and share the technique and culture of beautiful Sashiko. When we need to focus on “Creation and Education”, there are not much left for business activities such as price negotiation or dispute resolution… When I offer the workshop, I always focus on the participants’ satisfaction, yet some people prefer the price over the contents they get.

One day, when we have enough support, I would like to disclose everything we do online. It hugely depends on the wish of supporters, but to make Sashiko “open-source” is another dream I have. Your support moves us toward the goals. I sincerely appreciate your time and your goodwill.

Share articles (videos) and tell people about us.

This is the most important support that I would ask. Please share our activities via Upcycle Stitches & Keiko’s work, Sashi.Co.

You can share the blog posts you liked on SNS. Or you may share the video with your quilting guild where people share a similar passion. You may talk about Sashiko & our activities when you are stitching with your friends. Our goal is to share the beauty & mindset of Sashiko. The more people know about what we do, the closer we are reaching our dream.

Please feel free to use the logo to introduce us.

Purchase Sashiko Supply & Art from us

Sashiko is getting popular in the world. When something becomes popular, many “dealers” jump into the market and start providing the related products. As I wrote a blog post before, I want you to be a “Smart Customer | Know who you are buying from” to support Sashiko. Most of the shops & stores respect Sashiko and I respect them. However, I see the number increasing those who sell just Sashiko item without the deep understanding of Sashiko and its culture.

We carefully choose the suppliers in Japan, which hugely contribute to the Sashiko culture. The quality of our supplies and items are the supreme. We guarantee the best and good satisfaction. When you have a choice, please consider using our stores or parter’s websites.

[In the USA | Domestic Shipping]

Upcycle Stitches Online Store

Upcycle Stitches Etsy Store

[Respected Partners for Non-USA orders]

Sashi.Co & Keiko Futatsuya

Indigo Niche Australia

Provide Atsushi a place to do the Workshop or talking

*As of 2019, thanks to many supporters in 2018, we would like to focus on creative activities. Therefore, we may not be able to answer your offer. We will accept the offer to be a lecturer in your workshop, class or event. Regardless, your offer for a place toward the future is very much appreciated. Thank you so so much.

Meeting new friends with a passion for Sashiko is the best way to share what Sashiko is.

Please consider providing me and Upcycle Stitches a place to have Sashiko Workshops and/or Sashiko talking. When you offer me a place to do so for a free of charge, Upcycle Stitches will take care of arranging the workshop & creating the registration pages. We may ask you for helping us by advertising mouth to mouth or newsletters, but we will take care of most of the part. It would be so great if you could provide me with a place to stay if the location is far from Central PA. A room under a roof would be just enough.

If you or your organization would like to have me for your business. meetings, events, and other commercial activities, please read the article regarding the fees and condition here. I am happy to adjust my workshop to your need. However, please respect the Sashiko culture.

Some individuals and organizations have provided me a place to do so for free of charge, like Sharon I introduced above. If sharing your goodwill to the public help to increase your brand name, I am happy to spend some of my time. I would like to return the support to the precious support I received.

Private Sashiko Workshop | Bring Sashiko to your group.

Be a Patron via Patreon Website

As you know, Sashiko is a hand-stitching craft.

Yes. Everything is hand-stitched and it takes so much time. As much as we would like to spend all of the time stitching & educating, we sometimes need to work for the instant cash to pay the bills. Our first goal is to spend all of our available time in Sashiko instead of working at a part-time job to go through life.

We would like to make more Sashiko arts & craft, film ourselves in the camera to share more stories about Sashiko, establish the tutorial materials to share & educate people. Your support, as low as $1.00 per month, can help us out to spend more time in Sashiko.

https://www.patreon.com/sashiko

Send Upcycle Stitches a Donation

Although it isn’t my intention to ask this in the first place, money (or fabric when we are in need) Donation to our business, Upcycle Stitches, would be very much appreciated. Any form of one-time and/or recurrent donation (Paypal, Check, anything) will be used toward the donator’s will. For example, If a person would like me to use the money toward live-streaming in English, I would purchase the better Webcam for better video filming and such.

Please contact me for the donation here.

Support Sashiko as the Art

Because of a few reasons, mainly the concept of “Sashiko was an ordinary technique for the ordinary Japanese”, I didn’t consider Sashiko as the Art. Therefore, asking for the support (including donation) was very challenging for me. Recently, I start realizing Sashiko as the Art, especially in the current society. I would need to write another blog post on how I “define” Art. It may not be Art, maybe Art.

My point is that there are people who get influenced by what we make, what we talk, and what we do. I would probably call it “Art” and if so, I would like to continue focusing on the people (wealth in emotion) rather than money (wealth in tangible good). Please help us out to balance it. This society isn’t easy to focus on just one part, especially on the Art side.

I sincerely believe, by Your Support Sashiko, we can positively impact society.

Thank you for your time to read this blog post of Support Sashiko.

Support Sashiko Keiko

Upcycle Stitches: Atsushi Futatsuya

Sashi.Co: Keiko Futatsuya

Sashiko Stitching Live Streaming

Sashiko Stitching Live Streaming | Sashi.Co Channel

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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!

 

Sustainable Sashiko Tutorials

To keep Sustainable Sashiko Tutorials & Database

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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.

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.