Kogin Circle 2025[6]

◆ Kogin Circle 2025[6] February Activity Introduction Part 2
It's been almost two months since we started the club, and I'd like to share with you some recent changes within the club.

① More people are sharing their production process. This is thanks to the members who have been the pioneers in sharing their work. I look forward to seeing more of this in the future.
② More people are trying out Koginzashi without relying on patterns. They message me and tell me things like, "It's kind of messy," or, "I don't know what to do next, but I'll give it a try," and it's really wonderful how they're able to turn the difficulty of the challenge into something fun. Once you try it, you'll realize that traditional patterns are what make it a success.
③How can you proceed without a design? Some people have said they have tried it, even though they were unsure. The first step is the hardest, so even if you try, it's a great thing. You can proceed with confidence to the second step!
④Some of you participated in the workshop. There are various ways of thinking and tips depending on the embroidery technique, and you may encounter some eye-opening realizations! I (and I'm sure all the other members too!) have already received many realizations from the other members through our club activities. I am also very grateful that you have shared the realizations you have made at the workshop!

◆Deep dive into February's activities
In my last blog , I shared the content I posted on my Instagram member account. I have compiled the comments, but it would be difficult to share them all here, so I will give you my thoughts after roughly compiling them. Members, please take a look at the posts on your Instagram account about the questions you are interested in! There are many ideas and experiences that are very helpful!

[001] Questions from members
I have never stitched together Modoko by myself before, so I can't take the first step. At first, I'm wondering if I should stitch a large Modoko? I would be happy if you could tell me the general flow.
▶Many members shared their practical experiences in response to this question. Some people create the design first and then start stitching once they have an overall image in mind, while others refer to old Kogin and teach how to make the details fit together somewhere along the line . Furthermore, some people commented that they proceed step by step , starting with what they can do (writing the design, memorizing the modoko, etc.). It seems that those who write designs by hand have a secret trick of using a Frixion pen! It also seems that there is a lot to learn from old Kogin, so I would definitely like to make time to observe it! (There is a link to a PDF document from the Aomori Prefectural Museum at the end of the blog, so please take a look in an environment where you can open PDFs.)

[002] Questions from members
I have never made a large piece of work before, and I am currently tidying up my room before starting club activities. I would like to know if there is anything I should be careful of or anything that would be useful to have on hand in preparation for making a large piece of work.
▶︎Some members even taught us how to clean up the desk, fold the edges of a large piece of cloth and secure it with a clip, and even how to avoid wrinkles using a plastic wrap core! I was happy to see that introducing secret techniques is the best part of club activities. Also, those who have animals in their family seem to have devised ways to prevent them from being messed with. I would like to hear about Kogin and animals. By the way, I make sure not to place colored drinks near my works.

[003] Questions from members
How to maintain the desire to stitch. I work between work and housework, so if I don't have enough time, I can't maintain the desire to stitch something big.
▶More than 10 comments were received with content common to many members. There were also many replies to the comments, chock full of the significance of sharing thoughts and experiences. Comments from people who only have 5 or 10 minutes of free time to hold the fabric , people who have periods of intense concentration and periods where they don't stitch at all, people who clean up or immerse themselves in other hobbies when they're not in the mood - both types of comments were helpful, and I felt a warmth that made them seem like they were relevant to me. Everyone does Kogin embroidery in between their daily routines, and it was a wonderful comment corner where they shared their love for Kogin.

It was impressive that in every question, many members were saved thanks to the questioner. We would like to continue to build a bridge of our members' thoughts between many members! Thank you for your continued support of the Kogin Bridge.

I will introduce the question from the administrator, "The first Kogin pattern I embroidered" . Finally, I personally believe that there are no absolute rules for how to proceed with Kogin embroidery, and that there is no absolutely superior way. I hope that you will find a way that suits you from various ways of proceeding, and I think that the right way is to find a way that feels comfortable and fun for your hands and brain (perception, way of thinking, personality, etc.), so I hope that you will trust yourself to the fullest that you have the answers, both technically and mentally, and accept the experiences and advice of other members. By actively being creative and inventive on your own, you will discover something surprising , so enjoy your discoveries like a treasure hunt! Also, even if you are currently participating as a recipient of comments, I think that as you gain experience in the future, you will be able to send comments in addition to receiving comments, so please look back on your old questions after some time has passed and leave a comment whenever you feel like it! All comments are respected in our circle.
All the images on the blog are the same, but we plan to correct this soon (we will include the title of the article). We will make the necessary corrections, so we appreciate your understanding.

◆Request for cooperation
・If you have photos of your progress or works you made when you first started Kogin embroidery that you can share with other members, we would appreciate it if you could send them to us at any time by email (the address is listed in the explanation of how to join the circle below) or via message on our circle's Instagram account.

◆ Reference materials
Aomori Prefectural Museum's 1976 "Sashikogin and Diamond Embroidery" PDF page ▶︎ PDF page here
Please check the PDF on a computer or other device that can read it. The photos in the document are helpful, but the text inside is also very informative.

◆How to join a club
・If you have an Instagram account : @koginsurukai2025
Follow the club account ▶︎The account is here
*This account is private to ensure safety and security. If any suspicious behavior is confirmed, we will block you immediately.
・For those who do not have an Instagram account/participating without using Instagram :
Please send the following information to the email address below: 1) your name (last name or first name), 2) your favorite modoko, 3) what you would like to challenge, and 4) any questions or concerns you may have (optional if you have none).
Satonobo Email address : satonobou0515@gmail.com

Related Articles
Enjoying Kogin Embroidery Patterns 1

◆Reference materials (PDF materials)
PDF page of 1976 "Sashikogin and Diamond Embroidery" from the Aomori Prefectural Museum → PDF page here
Please check the PDF on a computer or other device that can read it. The photos and text are very helpful.

▶️Materials Research Blog
▶️Shop (currently being adjusted)
▶︎Digital data sales of PDF kit designs and instructions
・Hinamatsuri 2022 minne sales page
・Minne sales page for Kind-faced Goldfish Nebuta
・Minne sales page for the Brave-faced Goldfish Nebuta
▶︎Goldfish Nebuta Kit (Full Set) koginbank Online Shop
▶️Instagram (We share the simplicity and fun of Kogin embroidery through videos, etc.)
 
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