Kesa O kesa

[Taigu]

Re: Kesa O kesa

Great Dosho, great!

gassho


Taigu

[Eika]

Re: Kesa O kesa

Thanks, Dosho. Looks great! I'm starting on mine as we speak. . . washing, ironing, etc.
I'll post pictures as soon as there is anything recognizable to post.

Eika

[Shonin]

Re: Kesa O kesa

I too would be interested in learning. But I can't sew to save my life so what a grand adventure it will be. : )

Dave

[Taigu]

Re: Kesa O kesa

Hi ZenDave,

Great to hear from you here! Jundo wishes the kesa to be for people who have received the precepts. You could always get ready for the next precept ceremony and start sewing a rakusu using our on line sewing videos!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... kusu&hl=en

Yes, Eika, that's great to have you on board!

Gassho

Taigu

[Shonin]

Re: Kesa O kesa

Yeah, I figured it would be best to try my hand at the rakusu first. But thank you for informing me about the kesa. That was not something I was aware of. I thought it was simply the more traditional design. I am considering the precepts as well, but definitely want to spend more time experiencing before making a decision.

[Eika]

Re: Kesa O kesa

I just finished the 1st panel.


Peace,
Bill

Attached files

[Shohei]

Re: Kesa O kesa

Awesome Eika - Looks great!

Gassho, Shohei

[Dosho]

Re: Kesa O kesa

Looking good Eika! 8)

[Taigu]

Re: Kesa O kesa

Hi Eikai,

Very nice looking start, your blue could be a shade darker but don't worry, it is OK. Don't forget: iron is your best friend ( for once because usually I hate ironing, don't you? :wink: ) and take your time, the best is to squeeze 30 minutes of sewing a day or a bit more if you have some time...It will do the trick. Keeping going at a slow pace is better than being at it all day long and suddenly giving it weeks or months rest (which I did in the past, not a good example).

gassho

Taigu

[Eika]

Re: Kesa O kesa

Hi Eikai,

Very nice looking start, your blue could be a shade darker but don't worry, it is OK. Don't forget: iron is your best friend ( for once because usually I hate ironing, don't you? :wink: ) and take your time, the best is to squeeze 30 minutes of sewing a day or a bit more if you have some time...It will do the trick. Keeping going at a slow pace is better than being at it all day long and suddenly giving it weeks or months rest (which I did in the past, not a good example).

gassho

Taigu

Thanks for the advice, sensei. I'm a prof so I've got plenty of time now that summer break is here. I plan on sewing about an hour a day. I learned many years ago that practicing piano 2 or 3 hours everyday is preferable to practicing 9 hours for a day or two then needing time off to avoid burn-out.

The blue is actually a little darker in person (it was labeled navy blue in the store). I think the cellphone camera I used makes colors look strange most of the time. I'll use a different camera next time and see if the color is truer.

Many thanks for you guidance,
Eika

[Eika]

Re: Kesa O kesa

Quilting

It occurred to me tonight while I was sewing how similar this is to the quilting my grandmother and great-grandmother used to do . . . small, knot-like stitches and thin fabric.

My great-grandmother gave all of her grand and great grandkids quilts every year for Christmas. When I was young I thought, "oh great, a quilt" (imagine sarcasm here). But my Mom always used to tell me how my great-grandmother spent all year making these quilts for all of us and how much care, effort, and love she put into that work. My attitude changed as I got older. Now that I have kids of my own, those old quilts are very special to me, the ones that are tattered and worn from many years of use even more so. I'm not sure why this was something I wanted to post other than it seemed a strange, circular thing to see myself squinting to make these tiny, careful stitches and doing it with great care.

Peace,
Bill

PS--My mom also used to say that my great-grandmother could have made a lot of money selling those quilts (they really are expensive) but that she never did because it was something to be handed down to loved ones, not sold for money.

[Taigu]

Re: Kesa O kesa

Yes, Eika! That's so true! Quilting is a folk Art in which a tremendous amount of love and...boredom go.
Grandmother Kannons are great teachers, quietly sewing away before apparently fading away.


Thank you


Taigu

[Jinyu]

Re: Kesa O kesa

Thank You Eika for sharing those thoughs!
It really touched me because (like the most of them) my "grand" use to do the same than yours.
And I've always been captivated by the "loving concentration" she could develop when quilting.
She was totally in it! Sometimes "suffering" of beeing sitted on a chair for many hours, or sometimes because of a lack of light. But always following her "practice" with "loving concentration"
Those "souvenirs" are still strong in my memory thanks to you for let me share them

It makes me think about a conversation I got with a friend next week. He is a jogger, and run almost
everyday and participate to marathons and such races. And I asked him how he feels with it? How can he run for hours without stopping ?
And I feel close to the answer he gave, He just said that at a certain point, he doesn't fight anymore, and he just stop thinking and begin doing what needs to be done!
Of course it remain me zazen or retreats, when pain is here, and thoughs and all kind of things. At this point just doing zazen seem so difficult, but sometimes we just stop worrying about everything... to face the fact that things are what they are!

Sorry to be so much out the "subject", but I just wanted to share ...

Gassho

[Dosho]

Re: Kesa O kesa

An update...

Attached files

[Taigu]

Re: Kesa O kesa

great work!!!
Could you post a close picture of a line?
You are doig so well! I shall be starting a new one in a couple of weeks. And...Would like to get Jundo started on his :wink: ...

gassho


Taigu