Author Archives: Susan

Sashiko Kits

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Sashiko projects are still fairly scarce, there are very few designers, but that is changing as it becomes more popular.  Alderspring Design and Sylvia Pippen are the two main collections and both have a few Kits available.  Here are a few of them:

Gingko Leaf Circle Cushion Cover Kit

Sashiko Kit available at A Threaded Needle

Gingko Leaf Cushion Cover Kit available only at www.athreadedneedle.com

Sashiko Stitched Clasp Purse

Sashiko Kit, small clasp purse

Sashiko Clasp Purse Kit available only at www.athreadedneedle.com

Sashiko Kit, Interconnectedness of Elements

Sashiko Kit, Interconnectedness of Elements

The Dragonfly Kit Series of Table Mat Kits

sashiko kit available at A Threaded Needle

Sashiko Kit Dragonfly in Blowing Grasses

Sashiko Stitching Kit available fro A Threaded Needle

Sashiko Kit, Dragonfly Above the Earth. You can find the kit www.athreadedneedle.com

There is one more of theses, Dragonfly Above Diamond Waves.

There are several of these preprinted designs by Sylvia Pippen.  Nice because you get to skip the transfer part and go straight to the stitching.

Sashiko preprint fabric,

Sashiko preprinted fabric, Bamboo design

And this most popular of Sylvia Pippens kits: Sashiko and Butterflies

Sashiko Stitching kit, sashiko and butterflies

Sashiko Stitching kit, sashiko and butterflies

There are more but I’ll leave them for another day,

Cheers

Susan

 

Macaroon Purses (Tiny zakka zip purses)

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This isn’t sashiko, but once in awhile something is too much fun not to share!

I first  saw some of these among some  zakka items at a Japanese Christmas fair.
 
I’ve never found directions for them, so I wrote my own, and that is what you are getting here.
Notes: The one I used to write these directions is 1″ high by 1 1/2″ diameter. You can easily make them a little bigger if you want.
Here is what you need:

-2 flat buttons 1 1/4″ diameter (or cut stiff cardboard disks)
-2 circles cut from soft and stable or quilt batting, 1 1/2″ diameter
-2 fabric circles 2″ diameter
-3″x5″ fabric for sides
-4″ zipper
-11/2″ cotton or linen sewing tape (or a bit of ribbon)
(If you need a source for any of this we have them at                A Threaded Needle)
And here is how you make it:

First make the end disks:
Stack fabric, padding, and button
Stitch back and forth through the fabric edges, pulling the fabric and filling snug over the button.  Use a scrap of fabric to cover the ugly long stitches. (It makes a nice detail if you use a scrap with a little image on it – I didn’t, but it’s nice if you do :-)
Here is the finished side of the two end disks, ready for the next step, which is to cover the zipper.
Cut the 3 x 5 inch fabric lengthwise, fold under the edges and press, then fold in half and press again to hold the fold.  Next lay one piece over one side of the zipper and stitch it close to the zipper teeth. Repeat with second fabric piece on the other side.
Now stitch one edge of the zipper to the edge of one of the disks. Start where ever you like. There will be a small strip covering where the zipper ends meet and it will act like a hinge.
Stitch all around and then take a few stitches to hold the zipper ends together. Trim the zipper ends off if they overlap to reduce thickness.
 Next stitch the remaining disk in place the same way. It helps to open the zipper a little and put a finger under the disk to hold it in place as you stitch.
The final step is to stitch a tiny bit of sewing tape over the place where the zippers meet.
The inside
The finished outside. The one on the left began with a 1 1/2″ button and is slightly larger than the one we just made.
Cheers,
Susan