SASHIKO 365 Stitch a new sashiko pattern every day of the year, Susan Briscoe
Published by David & Charles
Briscoe here brings together her experience of Japanese culture and the meditative concept of stitching each and every day as a rule, a challenge to ourselves. As someone who has immersed herself in al things Japan for decades, Briscoe’s teaching has a depth of assuring tone to it. This is a tuition based book, not centred around the therapeutic aspects which often coincide hand stitch and particularly the slow stitch concept which resides in a sashiko stitch. I was intrigued to discern how one method could capture active interest for the length of a year, yet through visual design evidence, she portrayed how this one technique can be interpreted in so many ways. Often when we think of this visually, we conjure up an image in blue and white alone. However, although the background fabric is always pictured as blue throughout this book, the thread colours change, making it more attention grabbing. The set task of producing one sample a day may seem arduous, however Briscoe has given thought to our judgements and made the challenge easier, as the square designs are only 4.5 inches. There is of course the wider goal of once finished, sewing them together to create one beautiful quilt masterpiece - a prize for achieving a year of making.