Category Archives: Projects

Free Projects from A Threaded Needle

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

Six Sashiko Circles Runner Project

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Our next e-mail sashiko teaching project from A Threaded Needle

This large runner (it could also be used for a bed footer) is going to be our next  e-mail sashiko project.  Some of you have done this with us before.  It works like this: you sign up to get our newsletter at www.athreadedneedle.com and that gets you the information you need to sign up and for buying your materials for the project.

Then you get a series of e-mails (these are free) with step by step photo directions for making the project as we all make it together.  This is a bigger project than some we’ve done, so I would guess there will be about eight e-mails over about eight weeks, the first to show piecing the runner top, then one each showing the sashiko stitching for each new sashiko  circle, then one more to show putting it all together.

This is a good way to learn sashiko stitching. Its also a good way to be part of a group if you live in a rural area.

When the project is done your name will remain on our general e-mail list so you will know when we do another project, but we don’t send weekly, let alone daily e-mails! I try for monthly, but that doesn’t always happen either.

Did I give a start date? How about early April?  But if you are interested sign up for the newsletter now so you get on the sign up list and get the supply list.

This will be fun!

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