is a type of traditional

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

ese

embroidery Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen ...

or stitching used for the decorative and/or functional reinforcement of cloth and clothing. Owing to the relatively cheap nature of white cotton thread and the abundant nature of cheap,

indigo Indigo is a deep color close to the color wheel blue (a primary color in the RGB color space), as well as to some variants of ultramarine, based on the ancient dye of the same name. The word "indigo" comes from the Latin word ''indicum'', ...

-dyed blue cloth in historical Japan, has a distinctive appearance of white-on-blue embroidery, though some decorative pieces may also use red thread. First coming into existence in the

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was character ...

(1603–1867), embroidery was first applied to clothing out of a practical need, and would have been used to strengthen the homespun clothes of olden times. Worn out clothes were pieced together to make new garments by using simple running stitches. These clothes increased their strength with this durable embroidery. By the Meiji period (1868–1912), had been established enough that it had evolved into winter work in northern farming communities, when it was too cold to work outside. was commonly used to reinforce already-patched clothing around points of wear, but would also be used to attach patches to clothing, making the fabric ultimately stronger. It would also be used to layer thin fabrics to create warmth, and, in the case of some garments such as the coats of firemen , to create a thick and absorbent material that would be soaked in water before carrying out duties as a fireman. Though most utilises only a plain

running stitch The straight or running stitch is the basic stitch in hand- sewing and embroidery, on which all other forms of sewing are based. The stitch is worked by passing the needle in and out of the fabric at a regular distance. All other stitches ar ...

technique, is commonly used to create decorative and repeated embroidered patterns, and may be used for purely decorative purposes, such as in the creation of

quilts A quilt is a multi-layered textile, traditionally composed of two or more layers of fabric or fiber. Commonly three layers are used with a filler material. These layers traditionally include a woven cloth top, a layer of batting or wadding, a ...

and embroidery samplers. utilises mostly geometric patterns, which fall into two main styles; , in which patterns are created with long lines of running stitches; and , where the pattern emerges from the alignment of single stitches made on a grid. Common motifs are waves, mountains, bamboo, arrow feathers, , pampas grass and interlocking geometric shapes, amongst others; embroidery is traditionally applied with the use of specialist needles and thread, though modern day may use modern embroidery threads and embroidery needles.

Designs and patterns

Many patterns were derived from Chinese designs, but just as many were developed by native Japanese embroiderers; the style known as , for example, generally consisting of diamond-shaped patterns in horizontal rows, is a distinctive variety of that was developed in

Aomori Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku region. The prefecture's capital, largest city, and namesake is the city of Aomori. Aomori is the northernmost prefecture on Japan's main island, Honshu, and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the eas ...

. Other developments in have come from the work of Japanese artists, such as

Katsushika Hokusai , known simply as Hokusai, was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist of the Edo period, active as a painter and printmaker. He is best known for the woodblock print series '' Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji'', which includes the iconic print '' The Grea ...

(1760–1849), whose 1824 ''New Forms for Design'' inspired many patterns. designs typically derive from nature, with some, considered to hold symbolism, seen particularly on garments such as the coats of fishermen.

Common patterns

* * * * * * * — also known as * * * * * * *

References

External links

* (on origins of )
Archived iInformation with designs at quilt.com

Introduction to Sashiko at designbyaika.com

Sashiko Embroidery designs and tutorial