母(はは) hahaは wa針(はり)仕(し)事(ごと) harishigotoで de忙(いそが)し()か()っ()た() isogashikatta。 My mother was busy with needlework. Literal Mother [topic-は] needlework [because-of-で] was-busy 針仕事 (はりしごと) = needlework (針 needle + 仕事 work). で marks the cause of being busy — a routine 'busy with X' frame, where で carries 'on account of' rather than its location-of-action sense. craftsfamilysewingで (cause/reason)
母(はは) hahaは wa針(はり)仕(し)事(ごと) harishigotoで de忙(いそが)し()か()っ()た() isogashikatta。 My mother was busy with needlework. Literal Mother [topic-は] needlework [because-of-で] was-busy 針仕事 (はりしごと) = needlework (針 needle + 仕事 work). で marks the cause of being busy — a routine 'busy with X' frame, where で carries 'on account of' rather than its location-of-action sense. craftsfamilysewingで (cause/reason)