Hi everyone! How has it been another three weeks already??? After wrapping up the Swans last time (hooray!!!), I decided to work on a small project to get me in the mood for my upcoming trip to Japan. At just 54x54, this maneki-neko design fit the bill perfectly:
Sadly, no, that's not bad lighting -- in the mediocre lighting I was stitching in one night, I grabbed THE WRONG COLOR FLOSS for the bottom half of the "WELCOME" text. I suppose the good news is that I never liked the text -- after all, the cat is really beckoning (maneki means "beckoning"), not necessarily welcoming or greeting. So I'm going to salvage the piece by eventually just turning this into a rectangle and cropping off the text. But first I need to figure out where I'm going to use it! (Next year I have an idea for a project to go through my completed pieces and figure out something to do with at least some of them!)
Now, for my next project ... I was going to work on an orphaned kit I picked up at a thrift store, but instead decided to open up a sashiko kit I bought earlier in the year. I've never done sashiko before, though I have always thought it looked great, and I wanted to try out the craft in case I need to pick up additional supplies on my trip!
I opened up the kit last night, and I'm happy to report that some of the instructions are indeed in English! This kit doesn't contain much of the "traditional" patterning, except the interlocking circles at the bottom.
As such, I don't know that I'm really doing "sashiko" -- which means "little stabs" -- because with the curved lines on the cherry blossoms I have to keep turning the fabric. And while I clearly need to work on making my stitch length more consistent.
More to come on this!
I love this stitch-a-long -- it's a lovely mix of motivation and inspiration! If you fancy joining in, visit Avis's blog (first on the list below) for more info. And if you just want to look and feel inspired by a wonderful range of projects, check out what my fellow stitchers are working on!
See you on September 1st for our next check-in!
I wouldn't have noticed the floss colour if you hadn't mentioned it. Well done on another lovely finish :-) Shashiko is so simple yet so effective. It's going to be lovely too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Avis! I've already decided that I'll need to bring back more sashiko supplies from my trip because I love the way this new piece is filling in.
DeleteAlready complete! You are fast! Good stitches and happy holiday!
ReplyDeleteCarmela
Thanks Carmela! We've been planning this trip for so long it seems impossible that it's only a couple of weeks away!
Deleteoooh you've gone all oriental ^^
ReplyDeleteLove the cat, and look forward to seeing your shashiko project grow
claire93
Thanks Claire! I am really enjoying sashiko, and looking forward to picking up some supplies when I'm in Japan in a couple of weeks -- would like to try my hand on a more traditional pattern.
DeleteLove the sashiko, I seem to remember the stitches are meant to be grain of rice size, so yours look about spot on :-)
ReplyDeleteExcellent! I think I might have a mix of long-grain and short-grain rice, however... ;-)
DeleteKudos on another finish. I like how you are going to use your beckoning cat. I have a sashiko kit in my stash too...I love the idea of such stitching. Your stitch length looks perfect to me. Well done and I'm so happy to meet up with you here.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jocelyn! So happy to have you in the stitch-a-long!
DeleteI love that little Japanese cat, and the Sashiko looks like another fun piece!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kathy! I'm hoping to go to the temple where the cat legend originated -- will post photos if I do!
DeleteI have also been thinking of doing some Sashiko! I think it is a very beautiful way to stitch. I think you are doing so well so far!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I think ideally the back of the piece is as tidy as the front ... but not in my case so far. :-)
DeleteI've got to go back and see the finished swans! The kitty is a cutie - too bad about the wrong color at the bottom. Have fun with the sashiko!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sue! You'd think I'd learn to be more careful with lighting and threads, eh? Oh well I considered not even stitching the lettering because I didn't really like it -- I guess I got what I deserved!
DeleteI had not even noticed the change in color on the text until you mentioned it. The kitty was the focus piece. The Sashiko kit is lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks Renee! I'm really enjoying the sashiko kit -- but now I'll need to bring an extra suitcase to Japan to buy supplies. :)
DeleteWell done on your cute finish! I've long admired shashiko embroidery, but I think I too would struggle with keeping the stitches the same length!
ReplyDeleteThanks Catherine! I think I've decided that when I'm not holding it RIGHT NEAR MY EYES it looks pretty tidy. Or so I tell myself. :) Always room for improvement!
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