New PDF Kogin Motif Sampler

◆Kogin Motif Sampler

The Kogin Motif Sampler PDF I started working on this spring is finally complete. It began as a simple motif sampler, but as I stitched, I kept finding more things I wanted to include. One part became two, then three, and the finished PDF became much more than I first imagined.

The Kogin Motif Sampler Vol. 1 is divided into three parts.

 

Part 1 — 69 Kogin Motifs

Part 1 includes 69 traditional Kogin motifs and variations.  You can stitch the sampler as shown and turn it into a wall hanging or another project, or simply keep it as a motif reference. For many of the motifs, I also included their names and meanings. Some of the names reflect the local dialect of the Tsugaru region, so I added a few small notes about them too.

I hope these details help you feel a little closer to the culture behind Kogin.

Part 2 — Looking Inside the Motifs

Part 2 introduces 35 smaller motifs and elements that can also be found inside some of the larger motifs in Part 1. A Kogin motif can look complicated at first, but when I look at it as a combination of smaller shapes, it suddenly feels much simpler. 

I wanted to share that way of looking at Kogin in this section.

Part 3 — Small Changes, Different Patterns

Part 3 includes 15 examples showing how motifs can change by combining small elements in different ways or making slight changes while stitching. This is not meant to explain how traditional motifs were historically created. Instead, it is a way to explore what happens when motifs are placed next to each other, connected, or rebuilt into a larger motif.

I think seeing these small changes gives us more choices when we want to combine motifs ourselves.

 

◆Materials

If you live outside Japan, Kogin materials can sometimes be difficult to find. I wrote about some alternative materials in a previous blog post, so you can find that information here. I would also like to introduce some shops used by people stitching Kogin outside Japan in a future post.

 

◆Why I Made This Sampler

I have used my own stitched motif sampler for a long time. I often look at it when I need inspiration, and I had received several comments from people who wanted to stitch something similar. So at first, my plan was simply to turn the sampler I usually use into charts. But while stitching the motifs again, I started noticing more and more things.

I realized that understanding the smaller shapes inside a motif helps me know where I am while stitching. It also helps when I stitch without preparing a chart beforehand, because I can think about what I am building and what I could do next. That realization became Part 2.

Then I started thinking about another part of Kogin that I enjoy: how much a pattern can change with only a very small adjustment. In the Tsugaru dialect, wantsuka means “a little.” Kogin feels full of these wantsuka changes to me. A small change in one place can lead to a different motif or a completely different impression. And rather than only showing that idea, I thought it would be more fun to actually stitch and experience it. That became Part 3.

The more freely I stitch, the more I realize how important the basic motifs are. Knowing the basics does not make Kogin feel more limited to me. It actually gives me more freedom. That is probably the biggest idea behind this sampler.

I also started thinking that repeating patterns would be useful... but I think I will save that for a future volume. 😊

If you have already worked with Kogin Basics, I hope this sampler can be another step toward exploring and arranging Kogin motifs in your own way.

And if you have any questions while using the PDF, please feel free to contact me.

I hope you find a few favorite motifs and enjoy Kogin even more.

 

◆◆◆

Etsy — here

Materials Research Blog — here

Instagram — here
I share videos and other posts about the simplicity and fun of Kogin.

Facebook — here

Satonobou