Delve into the world of traditional Japanese art with these handy stencils that will give you the confidence to start each sashiko project with accuracy and ease. Includes nine embroidery designs and three durable plastic stencils.
Books on the traditional Japanese needlecraft of sashiko always mention stencils, and here are nine of them to make your stitching a lot easier. Also included in this packet is a booklet explaining how to use them.
Obviously, the originators of this fascinating craft didn't have access to plastic, which though much vilified is here at its most useful. Semi translucent, flexible, and washable each stencil features three designs. Each pattern is marked out in short slots making it simple to resize the design by moving it and remarking with a pen or pencil. The marks can then be stitched over. There are pictures in here showing how each look when reproduced as a repeat pattern as well as basic instructions and tips to ensure success. This wee booklet alone won't teach you the craft (you need a book for that) but is great for a quick refresher course and of course for showing you how to use the stencils. The items can be kept in the plastic packet and are probably small enough (roughly A5) to fit into a workbox. This is a very useful item for anybody who either does or wants to learn sashiko.
-- Rachel A Hyde * mytshelf.com *Not a book but a handy set of stencils. In total you'll get nine traditional Japanese designs, stamped out on durable plastic sheets. Sashiko is all about the perfect execution of the humble running stitch. Precise stitch length and placement are core. These stencils make light work of transferring designs to fabrics accurately and quickly. Extending the patterns to cover the desired area is simple. Marked design lines are thin enough to be covered by stitching. In summary: a useful tool giving easy access to a traditional technique.
* Stitch Magazine *Not a book but a handy set of stencils. In total you'll get nine traditional Japanese designs, stamped out on durable plastic sheets. Sashiko is all about the perfect execution of the humble running stitch. Precise stitch length and placement are core. These stencils make light work of transferring designs to fabrics accurately and quickly. Extending the patterns to cover the desired area is simple. Marked design lines are thin enough to be covered by stitching. In summary: a useful tool giving easy access to a traditional technique.
* Stitch Magazine *Sylvia Pippen studied tailoring and patternmaking before turning to teaching and designing patterns and fabric kits full time. She lives in Washington, USA and owns a quilt shop called Indigo Stitch.The tropical environment inspires her designs. For more information, visit www.sylvia-pippen.com.