#226: Sashiko, The Untold Story with Atsushi Futatsuya
5/19/202657 min
Most of us think of sashiko as a type of visible mending that we discovered via Instagram or Pinterest. But what actually is sashiko, and how should we engage with it? Is it an artform to be revered and put on display? A common household practice borne out of necessity, used for survival? Is it a form of meditation? Or some lovely hand stitching patterns we can emulate to fix and customise our jeans? Atsushi Futatsuya, is a sashiko practitioner and story teller who helps fill in the blanks in our knowledge about this fascinating and multilayered practice.
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Photo by Kim Lightbody.
Atsushi Futatsuya has a website and can be followed on Instagram @sashikostory.
You can also watch his videos on YouTube.
There are three ways to take a class with Atsushi:
- In-person in the US.
- Online as a mix of recorded and live sessions.
- Recorded online introductory course via Domestika.
Check out where to order Atsushi’s new book, ‘Sashiko: The Untold Story’, around the world.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsZoe Edwards· Host0:00
Most of us think of Sashiko as a type of visible mending that we discovered via Instagram or Pinterest. But what actually is Sashiko, and how should we engage with it? Is it an art form to be revered and put on display? A common household practice borne out of necessity, used for survival? Is it a form of meditation or some lovely hand-stitching patterns that we can emulate to fix and customize our jeans? Well, it turns out it's kind of all of these things. My guest for this episode, Atsushi Futatsuya, is a Sashiko practitioner and storyteller who has just written a book called Sashiko: The Untold Story. Atsushi agreed to talk to me to help fill in the blanks in our knowledge about this fascinating and multi-layered practice. Stick around a couple of minutes for that. Welcome to Check Your Thread, the podcast that will help you sew more sustainably. [upbeat music] My name's Zoe and I'm obsessed with sewing. I've been blogging about it for over 18 years, and I'm the creator and host of the popular handmade wardrobe challenge, Me Made May, which is still going on. But like many people, I've become increasingly concerned about the climate and ecological crises, and I'm looking at the way that my lifestyle contributes to them. So in this podcast, I'll be nerding out about making clothes whilst exploring how to minimize the negative impact that it may have. I really hope you'll join me in this journey. Hi, lovely listener. Thank you for pressing play on this episode. How are you doing today? Thankfully, whatever it is in nature that hates me so much is on the wane, and my hay fever is starting to calm down. So a little update on last week's episode with