Living in America 9
◆ Satonobou’s Life in America, Part 9
Hello! It turns out I haven’t written a post in this series since May 2025. ?!?
Now that I’m in my fourth year of living in the US, I thought I’d be able to say that English was no longer a problem and that I’d settled comfortably into life here… but I’m still very much learning! These days, even my children, who are now comfortable with English, are cheering me on. I still have plenty of room to grow, so I’ll keep trying.
My emotional well-being needs a little care from time to time. After reading about how exercise can help us think more positively, I started making sure I at least go for a walk on days when I can’t run. When I have something on my mind, I try running or walking first, telling myself, “This should help me feel more positive.” So far, it seems to be working.
◆ A Year and a Half of Kogin Activities
It’s already been a year since I took part in the Bunka no Hi event at the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington in Seattle.
When I received the invitation last summer, it made me feel that I needed to study the history and culture of kogin more deeply. I went back to my kogin books and also visited Yumemiru Kogin-kan in Hirosaki, where I had the chance to learn so much. If you love kogin, it’s a place I really hope you’ll visit. I’d love to go again the next time I’m in Japan.
I had the chance to try on a kogin garment at Yumemiru Kogin-kan.
You can see right through the areas of fabric without kogin stitching.
Earlier this year, I was interviewed by JUNGLE CITY, a Seattle-based Japanese-language website. Having the chance to reflect on my journey and talk about what I hoped to do next at the beginning of the year gave me a fresh sense of motivation. It encouraged me to take more action with my kogin work.
In 2024 and 2025, I participated in Japan Fair here in Bellevue, where I live. It was a wonderful opportunity to show people kogin and talk with them about it. This year, the fair fell on the same dates as a marathon I was running, so I couldn’t take part. I hope to join again someday.
◆ What’s Next for Satonobou?
This year, I started selling PDF patterns and guides on Etsy. For now, my PDFs are available only in English, but I’d love to offer Japanese versions of my patterns in the future. When I lived in Japan, I sold kits every month and really enjoyed connecting with the people who were interested in them. I hope to have that kind of time together again someday.
I have lots of thoughts about 2027. I’d love to have more opportunities to share kogin in person, spend time making things at my own pace, and try things I haven’t had the chance to try yet. I’m also still thinking about whether to continue the kogin circle next year.
I’ve started receiving workshop inquiries from both within the US and abroad. Not every conversation leads to an event, but whether it moves forward or not, I hope to appreciate what I learn along the way and grow from the experience.
For now, I find myself being more mindful of slowing down when it comes to my kogin activities. That feels important at this point in my life, so I’d like to keep moving forward while staying aware of where I am and what I can manage.
◆ More Thoughts on “Enjoying Kogin Without a Chart”
In Living in America 9, I wrote about what it means to “enjoy kogin without a chart.” I still feel as though I’m somewhere along a path that may lead me to an answer. Recently, a question from someone who purchased one of my kogin PDFs gave me a new thought: what if we deliberately stepped away from the chart, then worked out how to make the stitching work from there?
Of course, beginners don’t need to do this! But if we want to stitch kogin without following a chart, perhaps a good place to start is by taking an existing structure and trying to change it. I’ll write more when I can put it into clearer words. Still, I hope this way of describing it makes sense to at least one person reading this.
Satonobou