Sashiko!

After Mum came back from her Japanese/Korean Quilting holiday last year, she told me about something called Sashiko.  I didn't really quite grasp what she was talking about at the time, even though she had bought a number of books and was showing me all the pics.  I went to the Craft & Quilt Fair this year, and noticed a "Make & Take" for a Sashiko card.  I knew Mum liked it, so thought this would be a great start to getting her 60th Birthday gift together.

According to Wikipedia, sashiko is literally "little stabs". It is a form of decorative reinforcement stitching (or functional embroidery) from Japan. Traditionally used to reinforce points of wear, or to repair worn places or tears with patches, this running stitch technique is often used for purely decorative purposes in quilting and embroidery. The white cotton thread on the traditional indigo blue cloth gives sashiko its distinctive appearance, though decorative items sometimes use red thread.


Many Sashiko patterns were derived from Chinese designs, but just as many were developed by the Japanese themselves.

So after attending the workshop and making my little dragonfly design, of which I forgot to take a photo, I proceeded to the shop and bought a kit for a small bag or apron, depending on your preference.  I chose the traditional indigo fabric and the decorative red thread.  So now I'm hooked!

My little Sashiko bag!