Sashiko coaster kit

Sashiko coaster kit try out

I will be having a look at this coaster kit by Hara Wool.

And of course completing it.

These are not traditional sashiko patterns

( I will show some of these next)

but a modern twist on the genre.

As you can see the kit contains a needle, two skeins of sashiko threads, instructions in Japanese and the printed fabric.

As with all of the printed sashiko fabrics there is the printed design plus an equal amout of plain fabric.

This can be used as a plain backing to the work or the item can be ‘made up’ first and embroidered through both layers.

The fabric is very thin – gauze like.

This reflects the original purpose of sashiko to mend or reinforce fabrics.

Although you may start with one very thin layer, by the time this has been doubled and embroidered with the sashiko thread you end up with quite a sturdy piece of fabric.

The first thing to tackle is those Japanese instructions. They are mainly pictorial and quite easy to understand.

But more detail may be provided using google translate on your phone. Whilst the translation doesn’t always make sense, you can get the gist.

Here are the instructions for this kit translated:

It is then easy to pull one thread from the uncut end

thread preparation — and the thread remains untangled

The skein of thread is just one long thread looped around so it would end up a knotted mess if you just tried to cut off one length at a time.

Sashiko uses much longer lengths of thread than the ‘traditional’ embroidery we are used to

Making the coasters

I will use the starting and finishing method that they describe as the back of the work will be visible

Pulling the thread through from the back I take three small stitches in the ‘wrong’ direction.

Then turn and cover them with stitches going in the ‘right’ direction and covering the printed marks on the fabric.

Then some small ‘blind stitches’ under the final three stitches to finish the thread.

Then use the long inflexible sashiko needle to pick up several stitches at once. Before pulling the needle through and then stretching the fabric to evenly distribute the stitches and prevent the fabric from puckering