Where was I?
Sashiko. Inspired by how many people liked my sashiko drawstring bag, I went bigger with my next project - a cushion cover. Like the bag, this is also based on a pattern in Susan Briscoe's book, although I did make it to fit a slightly different sized cushion.
I used the same navy linen as before (this was from Celtic fusion fabrics), and white, red and dark yellow thread. To begin with I marked out a grid of rectangles, each 3/4 inch wide and 3/8 inch high. This took ages! I used a white dressmaking pencil and it did tend to rub off, so I had to remark as I worked my way up the cushion.
The patterns are all based on hexagons, which is why they all fit together. From the bottom they are Tsuno kikko (horned tortoiseshell - the large hexagons), Arare kikko (hailstone or segmented tortoiseshell), Juji kikko (cross tortoiseshell) and Kasane kikko (layered tortoiseshell - the tall hexagons).
It was only when I came to make the sashiko into a cushion cover that I thought red piping would finish the whole thing off really well, and luckily I had some red fabric with a linen-y texture that was perfect for the job. I even found piping cord and a navy zip stashed away, so no waiting till I could get to the shops to complete this cushion, which is a birthday present for my mum. It has to go in the post tomorrow, so it was fortunate we had a little bit of sun this evening and I could get these photos in natural light.
I'm hoping to finish off several other sewing and knitting projects next, so possibly no more sashiko for a while. But having completed the bag and this cushion I have lots more ideas for ways to use these beautiful, ancient patterns on my projects.
(I finally ordered the wool I need to finish off the right hand mitten to match my Snawheid hat, although in the meantime the 2.5mm needles seem to have got involved in another project...)
Back soon x
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