Try your hand at something new this year with this sashiko tote bag. The Japanese word ‘sashiko’ means little stabs and refers to the small stitches used in this form of needlework.
Sashiko is a form of Japanese folk embroidery using a variation of running stitch to create a patterned background. The geometric patterns include straight or curved lines of stitching arranged in a repeating pattern.
MATERIALS
◆ 2 yards blue denim cotton
◆ 20m skein Natural sashiko thread (or embroidery thread, using 2 strands at a time)
◆ 802 Gütermann Sew-all thread
◆ white iron-away marker
◆ 3” hexagon template (DOWNLOAD HERE)
◆ quilter’s ruler, rotary cutter/scissors
WOF – width of fabric
FINISHED SIZE: 16x18”
CUTTING
From the blue denim cotton, cut:
2 16” squares
2 16x18” pieces
2 24x4” pieces
From the binding fabric, cut:
6 2½” x WOF strips
MAKING THE SASHIKO DESIGN
1. Take one 16” square of fabric and use the iron-away marker and quilter’s ruler to draw a 12” square (this marked-out square sits ½” from the top and sides of the 16” piece of denim fabric, and 3½” from the bottom). (See pics A and B.)
Sew a few stitches at a time, then slowly and carefully pull the thread through. Just before you reach the end of the thread, leave a small loop and pull your fabric taught, this will avoid your first stitch being pulled too tight.
2. Take the 3” hexagon template and mark out the pattern using the white iron-away marker. Sew small continuous stitches along the vertical lines using sashiko thread.
3. To create the fl ower pattern you need to stitch an extra stitch each side of each corner of the hexagon (do not stitch this extra stitch outside the white box). Knots are not used to secure the ends; the ends are weaved into the reverse of your stitches. Once the vertical stitches are complete the front and reverse of your fabric will look like C and D.
4. Now begin stitching the horizontal lines, remember to add your extra stitch, where the lines meet. (See pics E and F.)
5. Once the piece is fi nished it should look like pics G and H. Iron away the marker pen at this point.
HANDLES
6. Take a 24x4” piece of fabric, fold in half lengthways and press. Open and fold the two outer edges into the centre crease mark and press again. Fold in half, and press. Repeat process to create the second handle. (See pics I and J.)
7. Using the Gütermann Sew-all thread, sew ⅛ ” along each long edge. (See Pic K.)
ASSEMBLY
8. Lay the handles in place on the top of the outer piece of fabric. (See Pic L.) Secure with a few stitches. Lay a 16x18” lining piece with right sides together on top and sew ½” seam along the top, trapping the handles between the two pieces of fabric. Press seams open. Repeat this process using the back piece of the bag and the other piece of lining. Use the fi rst piece to help with handle placement.
9. Lay the bag with front and back pieces right sides together and the two lining pieces right sides together and sew all the way around the edge with a ½ seam. Leave a 4” gap along the bottom of the lining.
10. To create the bottom corners of the bag, pull out the bottom seam (like you’re opening a bag of crisps) and draw a line 2” in from the corner. Sew along this line and trim off the excess fabric. Repeat for the other three corners.
11. Turn the bag right side out by passing it through the 4” gap in the lining. Press the seam allowance on the gap and use a simple ladder stitch to sew up the gap.
12. Press the bag along the seams, remembering the extra trim from the lining and top-stitch using Sew-all thread ⅛ ” from the top of the bag, all the way around. (See Pic N.)
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