Julie Green sent me the following photos showing some of her sashiko. She wrote:
I have your Ultimate Sashiko book and used the practice squares I made to make a bag. I know purple isn't authentic but it's my favourite colour...
I also made this jacket, I hand stitched the fish design and then machine quilted with variegated thread using sashiko patterns and appliquéd the chrysanthemum motif on the back, the kanji character says chrysanthemum, at least I hope it does! ;-)
It does - here's a detail from the jacket photo with the kanji written next to it -
It does - here's a detail from the jacket photo with the kanji written next to it -
The purple fabric was from a remnants market stall in Southall, I paid about £2 per m! I think it's linen but have no idea, I bought it because I wanted something cheap to practice on and it had a fairly course weave :-)
I'm in the planing stages of a casual kimono that I am going to decorate with some of the designs from your taupe book, although I probably won't use taupe. If I ever finish it I'll send you some pics.
I also love the effect of sashiko on purple and Julie's fabric looks like it was a great find. Purple is not the easiest colour to get in fabric suitable for sashiko (none of the Olympus sashiko fabrics are in purple) but I sometimes manage to get hold of traditional narrow width bolts in a lovely rich purple. I just wish it was easier to find! Purple is seen quite a lot in kimono too (it was especially popular in the 1920s and 30s, to judge by the number of 'meisen' silk ikat kimono with purple as the main colour) so I often wonder why it isn't easy to find suitable sashiko fabrics in that colour.
I'll look forward to see some of the taupe projects possibly done in a purple palette too?
I'll look forward to see some of the taupe projects possibly done in a purple palette too?
4 comments:
I love it! But that's not surprising coming from me. I think because purple was still considered such a "royal" colour for so long, perhaps that's why you can't find an appropriate fabric for sashiko. I think that should change, because I just think that it looks fabulous!
Yes, even in meisen it always feels rather dressy and it pops up a lot as an uchikake colour (think Taisho era) too, doesn't it?
Being a purple connoisseur, I knew you'd like Julie's sashiko :-)
Personally, I love purple and red, especially purple kimono with red doura linings (drool), so that could be a colour combination to try out sometime in sashiko.
Thanks for the inspiration... loved what you did with these simply yet elegant designs. Makes me think about how I can work this into one of my projects. Betsy
Thanks for inspiring me! So beautiful yet simple. Many thanks for making me think Sashiko can only be blue and white!
Post a Comment