Hello, and welcome.
Thank you for visiting Haru the Sewing Cat.
I am Haru, also known as the Sewing Cat.
For this very first blog, I would like to share a story about how I came to love sewing and making things—
and why kimono fabric became such an important part of my work.
I was born and raised in Japan, and about twenty years ago, I moved to the state of Hawaiʻi in the United States.
As I gradually became accustomed to life in a new country, something happened in March 2011 that changed my perspective deeply - the Great East Japan Earthquake.
The disaster was widely reported in the local newspapers here in Hawaiʻi, and many companies and organizations began sending financial aid to Japan.
Watching this, I wondered what I could possibly do to help.
But I did not have a large amount of money that I could send right away.
Then I suddenly remembered something - several kimono left behind by my late mother, quietly stored in a drawer at home.
I thought,
“If I could use this kimono fabric to create something and sell it at a bazaar,
perhaps I could slowly raise funds to support those affected in northeastern Japan.”
From that moment on, I became completely absorbed.
I carefully took apart my mother’s kimono and began sewing every day.
I made bags and small items, hoping they might be appreciated by people in Hawaiʻi.
At that time, I was still very new to sewing—a true beginner.
And yet, the kimono fabric my mother had left behind felt as if it was gently guiding my hands,
patiently teaching me step by step.
It felt almost as if my mother herself was beside me,
quietly supporting this creative journey.
As time passed, more and more people began to support my work.
It took a long time, but gradually I was able to create and sell many handmade pieces.
In the end, the total sales exceeded 1,000,000 yen,
and I was able to send the funds as support to the disaster-affected regions in northeastern Japan.
Although my original goal was to attract donations,
something unexpected happened along the way.
I found myself deeply falling in love with the act of sewing itself.
By carefully taking apart kimono and transforming them into new forms,
I also began to understand the differences between kimono fabric and modern textiles,
and the meaning carried within each piece of cloth.
But above all,
the time I spent sewing my mother’s kimono late at night
became something very special to me.
It felt like a quiet conversation between my mother and me,
shared through every stitch.
My mother and her kimono taught me something I still carry with me today:
“If what you want does not exist, don't dwell on its absence;
instead, gather your wisdom, move your hands, and create it yourself.”
This idea has become the foundation of my work.
After I began kendo in Hawaiʻi in my forties, I encountered another challenge:
shinai bags and bogu cases were not easily available locally.
Once again, I found myself thinking,
“If it doesn’t exist here… I will make it.”
And so I returned to my sewing machine and began making shinai bag and bogu bag.
When I lived in Japan, most of the things I wanted were easily available.
Things like Japanese confections,
clothes that fit just right,
or my favorite meal of ginger pork rice at a small restaurant.
They were simply 'easily available' - something I could take for granted.
But when we find ourselves in an environment where those things are no longer easily available, I don’t want to be the kind of person who feels disappointed or keeps complaining.
Instead, I hope to be someone who uses both mind and hands every day, and who can stay bright and energetic no matter the circumstances.
Even today, as I sew, these thoughts quietly accompany me.
Haru the Sewing Cat began with the making of shinai bags.
But I believe my journey of making things has only just begun.
Together with the kimono I inherited from my mother,
I hold onto the belief:
“If it doesn’t exist, create it.”
And so I continue to sew, day by day.
It would bring me great joy if you were to find something in my collections that speaks to you.
With warm regards,
Haru, the Sewing Cat