My second major Kogin-zashi project while I was living in Japan was a gift for the couple I pretty much consider my Japanese grandparents. I was going to stay with them for New Year's and wanted to give them a nice gift as thanks.
This project differs from my first major Kogin-zashi project in that it I did not have as big a hand in the design. These placemats were actually made from a kit that included all the materials (thread and embroidery cloth) and a pattern to follow. I did, however, add my own touches by changing the thread colors, adding tassels and lining the placemats in a contrasting linen.
I did not have access to a sewing machine during my time in Japan so all the sewing required to line the placemats was done entirely by hand (which gave me an incredible respect for those who hand sewed garments in the times before sewing machines were around).
