I am making new Sashiko Fukin now. Japanese Fukin is like Dish Cloths or Tea Towels which is about 30 cm square. It is very useful for a lot of purposes in the kitchen to clean the table, to cover food bowls, to dry dishes and you could use it as a hand towel.
In Japan there was a custom that daughters were given Sashiko Fukins with auspicious patterns when they are getting married. These were samples of needlework from mothers to daughters. I can’t stop having an imagination for a mother’s feelings when they were making Sashiko fukins, for the day they gave them to their daughters, and how the new bride was thinking when they use the fukins.
I am living in Adelaide, Australia with my Aussie husband. I have made some Sashiko before, but I started it again when I went back to Japan to see my mum. I bought some Sashiko Fukin kits and made them while I was listening to her long chats. I left some of my Sashiko work there to let her use them. Not only for the practicability but I wanted to leave something to show my love. Even after I came back to Adelaide, I sometimes send my Sashiko Fukins to Japan as I want her to feel there is always someone who cares about her.
This time, I am making "Hitome Zashi" style Sashiko Fukin. Hitome Zashi is a Sashiko technique which you make patterns with one stitch running. It is hard to explain but it is like draw lines between dots as I am using a kit with 5 mm distance dots.
I chose to use 40 metre Sashiko thread but I was wondering it would be enough so I am using Navy blue on the centre part first in case I need more thread.
This pattern has a unique backside pattern as well. Seeing patterns appearing as you stitch is a big excitement of Sashiko.
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