Sashiko 365

Book excerpt: A collection of 365 different sashiko patterns to sew - one for every day of the year. Sashiko sewing expert, Susan Briscoe, demonstrates 365 different sashiko patterns, one for each day of the year - sew all 365 to make a beautiful sashiko quilt featuring all the designs Each sashiko pattern is stitched onto a four-inch square piece of fabric making it very accessible to sew one swatch every day. You can record the date of each sample you stitch in the book to create a record of your sewing. All of the stitch patterns are illustrated with a photograph of the stitched sample showing some stitches in different coloured thread (this is used by the author to identify which stitches to do first), next to a diagram showing the stitch direction and the order of the stitches on the grid. All the patterns are sewn on four-inch fabric swatches which can then be pieced together to create the ultimate double bed sized sashiko sampler quilt. But as well as sewing the four-inch samples separately to make them into a large bed-sized quilt, the patterns can also be repeated to create larger designs over a wider surface area to make wall hangings, throws, table mats and smaller quilts - with this collection of 365 designs the possibilities are endless. Sashiko embroidery is a decorative sewing technique from Japan which was traditionally used to reinforce clothing and other textiles. It is an ideal stitch for visible mending and has become incredibly popular over the last few years. The technique of sewing horizontal and vertical stitches makes extremely attractive geometric designs that can be adapted to suit a wide range of sewing projects. Susan Briscoe is an expert in Japanese sewing techniques and has travelled to Japan numerous times. She is the author of the best-selling Ultimate Sashiko Sourcebook and runs regular workshops teaching sashiko sewing. This is the first time all of these 365 designs will appear in one book. Susan has included the Japanese name and pattern type in the text and has grouped specific design patterns together so you can see how they develop and use the collection to build your skills and knowledge of sashiko patterns.