Stitch Exchange: Endless Summer Tunic x Sashiko

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When designing our line of sewing patterns, we aimed to create patterns which are simple and could become a canvas for your personal creativity.

Sashiko, a style of stitching from Japan, is a great way to personalize your garment. In Japan, sasho means stitch and ko means small. It is easy to create a plethora of designs across your dress using this stitch. Many times, the sashiko style of stitching is used in conjunction with indigo dyed fabric.

In this example, we chose The Endless Summer Tunic and paired it with a fabric which is very close to our heart: Vreseis 100% US grown organic cotton in the blue color.

I typically like a minimal look so I added stitches to the back yoke and down the center front and back of the garment. That said, there are endless possibilities to stitch - in terms of design and placement. Check out my Pinterest board for inspiration.

Tips and tricks:  
+ Sashiko is composed of a simple running stitch.
+ Traditionally, the stitch is longer on the surface. In our example, we played with the length of stitch to create movement.
+ Sashiko thread is made of cotton and is quite thick in comparison to other embroidery floss. For the best results use a sashiko needle. The sashiko needle’s length is long, so it is possible to load many stitches onto the needle. This will create a smooth line.
+ When threading your needle, cut a piece of thread the length of the line you would like to stitch.
+ Make sure after each line of stitching is completed to pull the fabric taut to smooth any puckers.
+ Traditionally, a knot is tied at the beginning and end of the line of stitching to secure. In this case, since we knew we would be stitching over the lines, the knots were not necessary.

If you choose to do a pattern which has more lines and is more geometric in shape, follow these general guidelines:

1. When turning a corner, leave a little space to help control puckering.
2. Stitch the horizontal lines first, followed by the diagonal lines, and then any remaining shapes.

Here is how I created my garment:

I traced off the pattern onto paper as I always do, then I traced the pattern onto the fabric. I cut the pattern out of my fabric.

Then, I sashiko-style stitched my yoke. I sewed the garment.

As a final touch I sashiko-style stitched down the center front and back of my dress.

Currently, we have a kit available which includes the fabric, sashiko thread and needles in case you want to jump in and make one of your very own sashiko style Endless Summer Tunic!