I have a new interest in Japanese Patchwork and material. We had a local craft fair on the weekend, and I was in my element to purchase some of the great materials the out of town stall had. I also managed a Sashiko workshop.
I purchased the materials from Jane @ Be Bold
Tips I learnt about Sashiko
* pronounced Sashko
* strong and long needle required and is quite thick
* traditional work done with Japanese cotton, however, some use pearl cotton
* start project with a knot and finish with a knot
* sewing is best done in one continuous line - ie sew lines from one side to the other and then if they go diagonally, try and do the whole diagonal line in one continuous line . If you need to jump under a pattern which is on top, then leave a bit of slack in the cotton at the back. The main thing though is to try and sew in as many straight lines as possible. With something like the dragonfly shape in the middle, sew some of the straight line, then around best as possible in the one direction to complete the dragonfly.
* when you go around corners leave a loop at the back of the material - also leave
a little bit of slack at the beginning and at the end.
* when finishing off, take needle off cotton - leave a little bit say 1/4" as slack and tie knot, then cut.
* try and keep the stitches even and the ones on top should be longer than the ones underneath.
* if you have light material, you may have to have double thickness. Dark material is fine single thickness.
