Newest Work - Sashiko Stitched Pillow

Geometric patterns that express elements of nature and daily life have been central to the Japanese aesthetic for centuries. This pattern is called Fundo Tsunagi (or sometimes fundoutsunagi) and is a design that dates at least to the Nara period (645-794). It has been used in woven textiles such as twills and brocades, along with dyed textiles and sashiko.

The design and the name come from the shape of one of the traditional counterweights used on scales in Japan. Fundo literally means “weight” and tsunagi means “link”. 

I bordered the embroidered panel with a japanese cotton printed with traditional Japanese patterns that  I picked up somewhere some time ago. I'm happy to find something in my stash that works so perfectly. The more things I stitch up the fewer things I'll need to move into my new studio.

Stitch a Day 2017, Day 60

Day 60, the end of the second month! I'm one-sixth of the way to my goal. And I've got a large new pile of hand-stitching to get onto. I'm going to start teaching visible mending classes at a local shop, and am putting together some indigo dyed pillow projects to teach as well. But I have every intention of keeping at my stitch a day project. It just maey need to be on some new pieces.

Stitch a Day 2017, Day 59

Lots of shades of blue here. And again, a day without many stitches. I'm in the midst of a remodel, with a wonderful new studio space in the works, and have been spending a good amount of time on the endless decisions that need to be made. Not much time left for stitching. And the bit of spare time I did have I used for a game of Catan with friends, which is a great way to spend an evening.

Stitch a Day 2017, Day 57

This is a scrap in my daughter's discard pile of a failed screen print. With the failed bits cut away and tossed into the indigo vat it gives an interesting hand drawn area that contrasts with the sashiko inspired print and linear lines of the surrounding ikat cottons.