Sashiko by Ishii

Ishii-san made the Sashiko vest she is wearing in this picture (left).  Sashiko is a running stitch technique traditionally used to reinforce or repair torn fabric but nowadays is also often used for decorative purposes.

Sashiko literally means "little stabs" which seems appropriate since I'm sure my fingers would look like pincushions if I attempted this or any other form of embroidery.

The white cotton thread on the traditional indigo blue cloth gives sashiko its distinctive appearance.  Sometimes red thread is used although I suspect the red color might be a novice seamstress's blood rather than dye.

According to Wikipedia, many Sashiko patterns derive from Chinese designs, but just as many were developed by the Japanese themselves. The artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) published the book New Forms for Design in 1824, and these designs have inspired many Sashiko patterns.

Ishii-san has given me two lovely examples of her work, a small wall hanging and a quilted square.  My challenge is to quilt or knit something equally remarkable for her in return so I'm going to take a break from writing to work on my "skills".

If you'd like to know more about Sashiko and see some examples, click here.