Kogin Circle 2025[7]

[Hanako]
"At first, I made a small frame with flowers. I'm really thinking about the basics now."

[Kurubicara]
"The first thing I embroidered was a Kurbikara. It was a small pouch kit that I got as a souvenir from Aomori. I thought it would be easy, but I made many mistakes and had to start over. I was excited by the little world that emerged one layer at a time, and I became completely hooked 😊"

[Scales]
"The first thing I embroidered was scales. I made a pincushion at a workshop. From there, I got hooked on kogin and have been doing it ever since. When you first start, I think it's good to have something that doesn't have a mix of odd and even numbers. For example, Hanakoya Kacharazu."

[Cat's Eyes]
"The first Modoko pattern I sewed was “Cat's Eyes” I love cats a lot and this was the right pattern for me! The pattern I would like to try is “kawari saya-gata” number 75."
(My first Modoko was "Cat's Eyes". I love cats, so I felt this pattern was perfect for me! The next one I want to try is number 75 in "Kawaii Sayagata".)

[Hanako]
"The first thing I did was to embroider Hanako 😊 I made a drawstring bag using a kit. I was so excited to see the pattern slowly emerge, and I was completely captivated by Kogin embroidery 🥰."

[Unknown name of Modoko]
"The first thing I embroidered was a coaster kit, which I quickly adapted into a small accessory case. I remember struggling with the Modoko pattern, which used both odd and even numbers of stitches, but I didn't know what it was called. After that, looking at a book, I recorded embroidering stone paving, uroko and Kacharazu. I also remember feeling a sense of accomplishment when I covered the fabric with the front and back of the Kacharazu pattern, and with the flow of the Kacharazu thread. I think it was around that time that I was drawn to all-over stitching."

[When it resumed, there was a series of hitta, Mameko, and Hanako]
"I don't remember the first time I embroidered, but I remember making many mistakes. I started again when I became an adult, and the patterns I embroidered were "Hitta", "Mameko no Rensetsu", "Hanako" and other patterns to make covered buttons. I remember making a mistake with the "Hitta" part of the "Kacharazu" and making a "Hanako", and then undoing it."

[Beans]
The first thing I did was sew "Mameko"! It was a great moment to work hard and enjoy the time I spent there.

[I don't remember, but the ones I recommend for beginners are Hanako, Kacharazu, and Mameko]
The first kit I got was delivered randomly over 10 years ago, so I don't remember which Modoko it was 💦 Sorry 💦 (It was a small strap to attach smaller Modoko to. There were 12 types.) I think Hanako, Kacharazu, and Mameko are recommended for beginners.

[Tecona]
"Tecona in July 2021. It was attached as a sample to the Congress 😊"

[Hanako]
"The first thing I embroidered was a "Hanako". I posted about it on Instagram about a year ago, and made a scissors case from a mail-order kit. I didn't know about Modoko at the time, and I wondered if it was a Japanese shape or a motif.

[Horse's tools]
"The first thing I embroidered was an Olympus coaster kit, which had five different patterns, A to E, and A was a horse's butt design. Some of the five patterns were rhythmic, and some I made mistakes on many occasions, but it was so much fun that I got totally absorbed in Kogin embroidery, and I'm still fascinated by it to this day."