Sashiko: Traditional Japanese Sashiko Design & Instruction

Taking off Indian Hill exhibition

miho — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:17:35 +0000

I am just about leaving to take off the exhibition at Indian Hill Music in Littleton, MA. The exhibition stated in May and run all the way to a couple of days ago. I really am fortunate to have this opportunity to display my students and my works at the facility like Indian Hill. Happily, the quilts got many complements from visitors, students of Indian Hill and their families. My next exhibition is at Laurence Library in Pepperell, MA. Very looking forward to!

Busy getting back to life here

miho — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:11:34 +0000

My daughter and I got back from Japan last week. We are still the edge of shaking of our jet lag. Seems like my 11-years old can adjust to time differences much faster than old me! Well, the yard needed a lot of attention: weeding, watering, chopping, fertilizers and so on, which took me a few days to go through. My next door friends watered flowers so they look great!
Now, I desperately have to finish the quilt going into Lowell Quilt Festival starting on August 12th. I need to bring my quilt to the quilt museum on August 4th and I will be in NY from today until August 2nd I will make it for sure!
Please visit the official site for the festival: http://www.lowellquiltfestival.org/

Rikyu-bashi (Chopsticks)

miho — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:29:45 +0000

Hashi - Chopsticks

Chopsticks, called Hashi in Japanese, are the only eating utensils for the Japanese dishes, while spoons are also used in China or Korea. We call a pair of chopsticks “Ichizen“, but from the Yayoi period (dated 300 BC to 300 AD) through the beginning of Nara era (710 – 794), Ori-bashi was used, which was made of a bamboo stick bent in the middle like a tweezers. It is said that the name of Hashi came from the shape of the Ori-bashi, which looked like a bird’s bill (called Kuchi-bashi).

Rikyu-bashi chopsticks

In a long history of the Hashi, the mster piece is Rikyu-bashi. As the name indicates, it was invented by Sen-No-Rikyu, who is considered as the most profound influence on Wabi-cha (Japanese way of tea) in the history. It is best to make the Rikyu-bashi with red cedar. It is said that Rikyu ordered the timber of red cedar from a place and made the chopsticks for his guest. The chopsticks with purity of plain wood and smell of cedar was a treat in itself for a guest. It was the best treat for someone to be served with the chopsticks shaved with care by the master. It is assumed that the Rikyu-bashi was originally thicker and longer. Like most of Japanese tableware, the Rikyu-bashi became smaller as time went by. However, irrespective of their size, the Rikyu-bashi are still grateful. They are served as first-class restaurants or at Kaiseki (traditional multi-curse Japanese dinner) of the tea ceremony.