The Dewdrop World

Plum Blossoms and Birds--Vegetable Dye Threads

I have loved working on these plum blossoms and birds (uguisu) hanafukin tea towels, using 100% vegetable dye threads, hand dyed in small batches in Tokyo by Enneste. 

My new pin cushion and sewing machine below. I don't think the machine has improved my edges yet though. 

A Week of Rainbows

It’s been a week of working on rainbows! All sampler hanafukin 🧵

My Kaguya-hime pin cushion 

Working so hard to keep my back neat!

My Momotaro pin cushion
And below, what the pup thinks...

Ah, Beginner's Mind

Ah, beginner’s mind. I accidentally sewed the back on backward so instead of beautiful fabric on the back it’s just dark brown and this panel is too small for the space so I’m going to have to start over again with more fabric. Just purchased. But the good news was as soon as I put this down on the piano, my husband’s been loved piano, and opened the window there was a peacock!

When I showed these pictures to Kazy he said, "Can you make me a blanket?" My heart lit up and I said, "Sure," but then he wondered if I couldn't "customize it with pictures of Shumi and o-dango..." (his favorite snack).

There’s a party of about 10 on our block but we only have a few male juveniles-- so I was really happy to see him this morning!

My coasters

The pre-printed lines didn’t easily wash out so I actually threw this in the washing machine after I took this picture and it came out perfect except one thread popped up so I’ll have to fix that. I bought this from Calista quilts in Canada  kimonomomo carries it but didn’t have it in stock in dark indigo.

You can see how the size is way too small I actually wanted it to go from the edge of the lid to the other side we are kind of sticks up. So I would say it’s a good 10 inches too short. I was trying to kind of pick up colors from those tiles and the picture. Looking at this picture I decided when I remake this I’m going to try to pick up more colors from those tiles on the stairs.

Sashiko Circles

My second attempt.

I had to rip the stitches out when I first tried this because it puckered so badly so I left all these huge loops in the back and then slapped on the backing!

The completed work is now sitting under my sago plant in the sun gallery.

Pup still not impressed.

Autumn is for Sashiko

食欲の秋（”Shokuyoku no Aki”） meaning The Autumn of appetite
読書の秋（”Dokusho no Aki”） meaning The Autumn of book reading
芸術の秋（”Geijutsu no Aki”） meaning The Autumn of art

Ah, Autumn.... the most beautiful time of year. In Japan, it a time for reading. On rainy days.... It is a time for eating--when food tastes best after the harvests. It is also a time for looking at art. Or for making art...

I started sashiko. I have admired embroidery my entire life-- but it took our daughter's happy news of being pregnant to kick-start my new hobby. After turning our upstairs library, the black tower, into my abode of embroidery, I made my first little tea towel.  

Beautiful hidamari thread

Cute Little House thimble ring.

I honed in on this famous pattern often found in Buddhist temples, 

The Seven Treasures: ［七宝］ (shippō): According to the Lotus Sutra, the seven are gold, silver, lapis lazuli, seashell, agate, pearl, and carnelian. In the “Treasure Tower” (eleventh) chapter of the sutra, the treasure tower adorned with these seven kinds of treasures appears from beneath the earth. In a letter known as On the Treasure Tower, Nichiren associates the seven kinds of treasures that adorn the treasure tower with the seven elements of practice, writing: “It is the treasure tower adorned with the seven kinds of treasures—hearing the correct teaching, believing it, keeping the precepts, engaging in meditation, practicing assiduously, renouncing one’s attachments, and reflecting on oneself” 

Also:

(七財・七聖財］ ( shichi-zai or shichi-shōzai): Seven indispensable elements of Buddhist practice, which are compared to treasures. They are hearing the correct teaching, believing it, keeping the precepts, engaging in meditation, practicing assiduously, renouncing one’s attachments, and reflecting on oneself.

Using it under my shipwreck bowl

Pup not amused.