– Lin Clements
WHAT IS SASHIKO?
The Japanese word ‘sashiko’ means ‘little stab’ or ‘little pierce’. It is a very old quilting technique that was originally a form of darning used by the wives of fishermen and farmers as a way of thickening work jackets and prolonging the life of the fabric. Over the centuries, sashiko developed as a rural domestic craft and a huge range of patterns and motifs have been developed, with most of the designs based on a grid pattern, often referred to as moyozashi. You will also see sashiko patterns based on family crests or using inspiration drawn from ceramics and buildings.
Traditionally, sashiko was worked by hand with white thread on indigo fabric. Hand stitching not only gives sashiko its distinctive look but is also a wonderful way to relax. The stitches are meant to be larger than normal quilting stitches and it is a great way to practise your quilting skills. Sashiko patterns can be machine sewn but most machines can’t replicate the stitching style of true sashiko.
Sashiko is a versatile form of quilting that not only looks beautiful in its own right on solid fabric but can be used with patchwork blocks and in quilt borders. Sashiko designs can also be used as all-over quilting patterns. There are many, many sashiko patterns to
