Category Archives: How To

sashiko tutorials, sewing tutorials

Sashiko stitching as an embellishment on other projects

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It’s been so long since I posted you will think I forgot I have this blog, but not so!   I think of you often!

I thought I’d show you a few samples of sashiko stitching used as an embellishment on other projects today.   I use sashiko thread and stitch a few random lines on prints and plain fabrics quite often just to add texture and interest.  The thing to remember when doing it is to make your stitches  – I know you know the rest of this sentence! - about the length of a grain of rice on the top and about 1/3 that length on the back.  This spacing keeps your brain, and therefore your eyes, interested. It is easy for your eyes to understand it as a solid line, yet it is more interesting than an actual solid line.

Here are examples of sashiko stitched lines used on pieced print fabrics. The projects would be good enough without the stitching, but it gives them just that extra bit of interest.

Another option is to use sashiko stitched lines to give interest to a plain fabric like this linen bag

You get the idea.

Sashiko thread comes in 20 colors, plus about 6 variegated colors. I think I explained how to cut and braid the thread before you use it somewhere else in this blog. This keeps the skeins from becoming tangled messes!

Okay, one more picture – this is my new needle book kit (there are only a few). You can find it on A Threaded Needle, along with the bag handles, sashiko threads, metal purse frames and kits (including the taupe clasp purse with the two little birds), and some of the fabrics in these pictures.  The metal frames come with patterns and are surprisingly easy.

If you are in the Vancouver area, A Threaded Needle (me) will be at the North Vancouver Lion’s Gate Quilt Show June 8 and 9. Its in the Delbrook Rec. center. We would love to see you.  We will also be going to the Edmonton Creative Stitches and Crafting show in September this year.

Talk to you again, soon maybe :-)

Cheers,

Susan

3 ways to transfer a sashiko design to your fabric

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Three methods for transferring sashiko designs onto your fabric, the first of which is heads and shoulders above the rest. Try it, you’ll see.

No matter what your craft, there is always the preparation, and getting that right can make such a difference to enjoying the rest of your project and having it turn out well.  I’ve been meaning to get this information on this site for some time. When I first encountered sashiko stitching I loved the look, but the problem transferring the design onto dark blue fabric almost made me give it up!

Directions I found back then amounted to actually graphing and drawing the design onto your fabric directly using a ruler and chalk pencil. Not only was that painfully not fun, the design rubbed away before the stitching was done.   Then iron away white pens seemed a solution, but I still couldn’t abide the graphing part.

So I made some full size sashiko patterns and discovered the following method.

Method 1

Begin with your sashiko design, a permanent ink fine tip pen, some white featherweight fusible interfacing (pellon) (non-woven is best), tape and a ruler.

Tape the pattern to your table. Tape the interfacing glue side (the rough side) down over the pattern. Tape it to the table.  Using the ruler and pen trace the design onto the interfacing.

Now lay the interfacing, glue side down, over the back of your fabric and using a medium heat iron, fuse the interfacing to the fabric. (The glue heats, melts and fuses the interfacing to the fabric) Begin in the middle of your design and iron gently toward the edges. I lift and set my iron, rather than sliding it. This helps to keep the interfacing from pulling out of shape.

Now your design is securely on your fabric. It won’t rub away as you do the stitching, it will stay easy to see, and it will stabilize the fabric a little without changing how it feels.  You will leave the interfacing on the fabric when you are done, there is no need to remove it, it will be covered in your finished project.

One more detail: you will be stitching from the BACK of the fabric.  Try it before you agree with yourself that you can’t do it.  It’s actually just as easy to stitch this way plus  you have better control when you are turning corners and crossing over open spaces. Remember to make your long stitches on the finished side tho!

Method 2.

Okay, say you hate method 1 for some reason I can’t imagine (or because you are stitching on a finished garment and can’t put interfacing on the back)  I think your best method for transferring the design in this case would be to use white sewing carbon.  Lay it over your fabric, waxy side down. Position your pattern over it and trace over the design lines. Check at the beginning to make sure the carbon is showing up on your fabric as you trace.

This method is quick and good for small area, but rubs away if you are stitching a large area.

Method 3.

So here is another option, tho its really an expanding of the second method. After you trace the design onto your fabric using the sewing carbon, trace over it again with an iron away marker.  Now it will stay put while you do the stitching.

Sorry,since I never transfer by either of these methods I have no pictures!

Cheers

Susan

 

Red Sashiko Clasp Purse

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Another project, this one written in February, so it seemed fitting to make it in red!  If you don’t have a sew in style frame you can order this one from A Threaded Needle. It is a 3 1/2 inch antique gold metal clasp frame.

Here is the picture:sashiko stitched red clasp purseHere are the materials you will find in the kit:

And here are the directions:

First
1. Lay one piece of white fusible featherweight interfacing over the paper pattern piece (it is in the bag with the frame you bought) glue side (rough side) down.  Trace the outline of the pattern, and all the other markings onto it. You may find it helps to tape the corners of the pattern to your worktable.  Repeat with second piece of interfacing.
trace the patern onto the interfacingTake your piece of interfacing with the purse pattern traced onto it, and lay it over the sashiko design.  Position it to suit yourself and trace the sashiko design onto the interfacing. I put mine on an angle. Repeat with second piece.
When the tracing is done on both pieces, lay each piece of interfacing over a piece of your fabric (rough side down) and use your iron to fuse them to the fabric.

Second, sashiko stitch the fabric
Important:  Do not cut the purse pattern out of the fabric at this point. We are going to stitch the sashiko first. Don’t throw the paper pattern away either. You may want it again later.

If you have done sashiko stitching before, you can just go find a comfortable chair and stitch away.  When you are finished you can continue at part 3.

If this is your first sashiko stitching project go to “How to do sashiko stitching” under the How To menu at the top of this page. Scroll past the interfacing transfer part to the how to begin stitching section.  Thread your needle and do the stitching as shown.

Third, make the purse

Now that you sashiko stitching is complete, cut out the purse pieces. Cut out two more pieces of fabric for your inner purse lining.
Lay your outer (sashiko stitched) purse pieces with their right sides together and sew along the the area indicated on the paper pattern by the dotted line. Use your shortest stitch length.  Repeat with remaining inner purse fabric pieces.

Place the outer shell inside the inner lining bag. Right sides will be together.  Match the raw edges.
Match and pin the side seams on both sides.  Sew across the seams.
Back stitch to make this tiny seam strong and secure.

Turn the fabric pieces right side out (the corners will be sewn together).  Do this by pushing both pieces through the opening on one side, then separate the two parts as in the picture. Now push the lining inside the outer part.

Work your fingers along the inside seams to make them matched and flattened. Your two side stitched seams should be exactly at the top.
Match the raw edges carefully, and then stitch them together, staying near the raw edge so your stitching will be covered by the frame.

Final step, attaching the fabric to the frame:

Open the frame out flat on your work table with the side with the holes against the table.

Turn your fabric wrong side out and place it over the frame to get an idea about how it is going to go together.

Okay, the bit you’ve been waiting for! Thread your needle with the strong bag making thread. Note the needle must be small enough to go through the holes in the frame. Make a small knot in the end of the thread and, in the center for the fabric on one side, just under the line you machine stitched, push the needle and thread through.

Find the center hole in the frame and push the needle through it.

From the other side, push the needle back through the next hole in the frame. Continue until you reach the corner.

I’m switching to pictures from the same purse in a different fabric now, so don’t be disconcerted. You didn’t mysteriously loose your place (-:

Take a little extra fabric in your stitches at the shoulder curve of the frame, adjusting as needed until the end of the frame and the end of the un-stitched fabric meet.  Be sure to pull the stitches tight.
When you have reach the hinge corner of the frame, stitch back to the center.  Your stitches on the front of the frame will now make a solid line.  Be sure you are pulling each stitch tight, and that the raw edge of the fabric is well inside the frame.  It is this second row of stitches that lets you catch and fix the fabric anywhere it is not secure in the frame.

Note: Just to be sure we are clear, remember the tiny seam we made earlier across the side seams that now is a little finished seam at each corner of the fabric? This part is NOT going to be stitched to the frame. It provides the ease needed for the purse to open and close.

Stitch the fabric to the frame on the other side in the same way.

Here is a picture of the same clasp purse made in blue.

I hope you are as pleased with your little clasp purse as I am with mine!  What, I wonder, will you use it for?  I made several from and so far one has embroidery thread in it, one is just sitting around being pretty (-: and one I gave away for a gift.

My next one is going to be made from the scraps of a woven fabric I made years ago. They are tussah silk, too beautiful to throw away, too small to use.  I think I will stitch them to a linen fabric first…  it gives me that sick with excitement feeling thinking about it, which generally means I’m on to a good idea!

Happy stitching,

Susan