Tag: starch

Sashiko #5 – First Color

I starched and pressed a rectangle of denim from the same stuff I have been using and had washed. It made a major difference as far as an ability to be nicely stitched, I think. It could also be that I am being more conscientious about the rhythm of my running stitches. With this fifth sample, my hands are getting comfortable.

You can see that my stitches are more even and my lines are more straight. This is not counted cross stitch or Victorian handwork where threads are counted. Instead, it is a decorative art with a bit of the human thrown in! As you can see, some areas have more stitches in the same distance and others have less. Is that important?

My beginnings and endings are a bit neater, too. I’ve been using back stitches to begin and end my thread, but in some areas I carried the thread to a new area in need of stitching by running the threads together on the reverse. All the stitching on this sampler is being done on the right side of the fabric, but sashiko #6 will be on the reverse . . . but that is a few days away!

Sashiko Pattern #3

The other day I practiced straight stitch – running stitch – sashiko. Holding a long needle and a palm thimble is a bit of a challenge. Yesterday I decided to try to draft a round pattern to practice stitching in curved lines. I used my pre-washed denim, a circular lotion tin, and a yellow chalk marking pencil I use in sewing. The big problem is that the fabric is very soft from washing – the sizing is gone – and I wonder if I should use unwashed denim or perhaps add a starch to make the fabric stiffer and easier to draw upon for design. When I was drawing the circles, the fabric slid around and some of the circles got squished up. You can see my sampler below!

Sashiko actually stitches up a lot more quickly than I thought it would. My stitches vary a lot, and that is something to work on, and I think how I hold the needle and thread in my right hand and manipulate the fabric with the left will help even things up. You learn as you go, for sure!

Below is the backside of my sampler.

One thing I do enjoy while working on sashiko is listening to audiobooks. It is a great way to sit outdoors, have some coffee, stitch and listen. Even better on a beautiful summer day!