You know that my mom and I are fans of sashiko, the traditional Japanese embroidery.
This year, without really realizing it, we both fell for the same pre-printed "4 seasons" panel created by Susan Briscoe.
So I had to tell you about this unexpected duo!
Let's go!
The little story of this panel: mom's side - daughter's side
My mom has been embroidering in sashiko for over 30 years and her challenge last year was to keep a promise made a long time ago 😂 to make me a sashiko bedspread. I waited until my last birthday to receive it, but what a marvel! She spent many hours on it, but the result is worth the wait.
This year, a change of challenge, she wants to restore a folding screen and place 3 sashiko panels on the frames... hence the purchase of this panel with the 4 seasons pattern.
As for me, I came back from Japan with a pretty panel featuring a maple leaf pattern. I finished it in mid-December; you can find the article dedicated to it here. After this beautiful piece, I really wanted to start another one, so I began my "4 seasons" panel a little before Christmas without realizing I was choosing the same one as my mom... and I loved it! I embroidered every evening after sewing courses and took it with me to finish at that famous New Year's meal!
I finished the last stitches on the couch from my childhood, my mother telling me: "But that's the one I made!".
Versions
The surprise was huge because our panels are really very different! It almost looks like they are not the same pattern!
My mom usually embroiders in traditional colors: white or cream threads on an indigo background.
As for me, I am a fan of all colors and I really enjoy using gradient color threads.
Supplies
My mom used ecru thread no. 115 in 100m for her entire panel
For my panel, I used:
- in plain: blue 23 for the bellflower and mauve 19 for the iris and wisteria, yellow 16 for the wheat ears and bellflower stamens, brown 03 for the cherry tree branches, classic white for the designs in the middle of the panel
- in pastel (awairo): A8 matcha for the cherry tree frames and foliage
- in gradient: orange-yellow 75 for the wheat ears, green and white 51 for the wisteria and iris, red and pink 152 for the cherry tree and flowers.
Motifs derived from yokoguchi in colors (Eugénie’s version)
Motifs derived from yokoguchi in ecru embroidered by my mom
Our embroidery experiences
Well, you’ve probably guessed it, I really indulged myself with the color combinations. I truly loved choosing colors that well represent the associated pattern. I assigned a color to each season: green for spring, red for summer, yellow for autumn, and blue/white for winter. I repeated these colors on the yokoguchi motifs in the center of the panel.
I really enjoy playing with and changing colors as I go along with my embroidery.
My mom, on the other hand, loves the plain look of white or ecru on her sashiko embroidery. Embroidering in the same color also has a cathartic, hypnotic, and calming effect. You dive into your embroidery and nothing else exists!
It’s so relaxing whether you embroider in plain or multicolor!
There will definitely be more sashiko challenges this year! I love combining embroidery and sewing, but shhh... I won’t say more! And I can’t wait to see my mom’s folding screen finished!
Want to start sashiko with me? Feel free to join our initiations to learn the right techniques and good habits from the start!
Alright, I'll leave you now and continue with my new project!
Get your needles ready!
