Do you get rid of it and make room for something new?
This time-honored tradition uses the running stitch to reinforce and decorate an item of clothing or piece of fabric.
After all, it needs sashiko because you wore it so much!
Photo:sashiko stitch and patchbyHeather(CC BY 4.0)
And it has another benefit:sustainability.
Given the clothing industrys environmental impact, repairing the things we own is another way to honor the Earth.
We’re exercisingcircular fashionand keeping something out of landfills.
Sashiko Jacket (Japanese Meiji period, 19th century). Indigo-dyed plain-weave cotton, quilted and embroidered with white cotton thread. (Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Seymour Fund, 1967)
Youll be sashiko stitching in no time.
Learn how sashiko stitching can give your well-loved clothes a new lease on life.
The History of Sashiko
Sashiko Jacket (Japanese Meiji period, 19th century).
An example of boroboro and sashiko. Photo:sashiko fabricbyLittlelixieis licensed underCC BY 4.0
Indigo-dyed plain-weave cotton, quilted and embroidered with white cotton thread.
The practical beginning was born out of necessity.
Cotton was uncommon in Japan until well into the 20th century.
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An example of boroboro and sashiko.
Photo:sashiko fabricbyLittlelixieis licensed underCC BY 4.0
Sashiko is one part of repairing an item.
The termsashikois formed from the Japanese verbsasu, which means to pierce, to stab, to prick.
Lecien Japan |$5.98
Sashiko translates into little stabs.
The other part of the repair isboro(also known asboroboro).
Boro translates to tattered and refers to patchingjoining pieces of fabric to fortify clothing.
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Sashiko, with its tiny running stitches, is how the patching is secured.
Now, people use a variety of geometric patterns to turn otherwise ordinary clothing into wearable works of art.
(This isnt surprising, given its humble history.)
Photo: maxcab/Depositphotos
Thread
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you’re free to use a variety ofthreadsin sashiko mending.
There is, however, a specific jot down of thread best suited for the technique.
Sashiko threadis available in multiple thicknesses.
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They are meant for various types of projects and have different aesthetic qualities.
you’re able to also useembroidery floss.
Like perle cotton, its not as durable and is better for decorative stitching.
Photo: maxcab/Depositphotos
This is due to the sashiko technique itself.
In addition to length, the eye of a sashiko needle is also larger to accommodate thicker thread.
The designs comprise straight lines, are proportionate, and generally follow a grid pattern.
Photo:more visible mending!byHeather(CC BY 4.0)
When youre beginning sashiko mending, having apatternwill give you a great place to start.
Usingtailors chalkortransfer paper, you’re free to rub or trace the design on fabric.
Scissors
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You dont have to have anything fancy for snipping thread.
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This simplicity makes it an accessible form of mending.
Lets break down the process, as well as some tips and tricks, for stitching.
Grab your needle and thread when your jeans are looking a little threadbare.
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That way, you could reinforce the area before it gets too tattered and is harder to repair.
Can you fortify it with stitches?
Or do it’s crucial that you patch it?
If you gotta patch it, do so before the sashiko.
Begin by measuring the amount of thread for your needle.
Thread a single strand through the eye of the needle.
Once threaded, insert your needle into the fabric.
Use your thimble to help push it through.
When complete, youll see a gap between stitches that is half the length of the stitches themselves.
Clip all of your threads.
All thats left is to admire your mending.
Additional Resources on Sashiko Stitching and Visible Mending
Want to see a demonstration of sashiko stitching?
YouTube is a great resource, and these popular videos show what the technique looks like in practice.
Sashiko stitching is mending and decorative stitching technique created using the basic running stitch.
Using a needle and thread, you make a series of straight lines to create a design.
What is the purpose of sashiko stitching?
The purpose of sashiko stitching is to fortify clothing and other pieces of fabric so that they last longer.
If not used in mending, it can be decorative as well.
Do you need special thread for sashiko?
Your results may vary, however, as the thread could be less durable that sashiko thread.
