Sashiko, literally means "little stabs" or
"small stitches" and it is one of the most significant and noteworthy
embroidery techniques using mostly the running stitch. Until
the mid 20th century Sashiko was the traditional method of making garments for fishermen
and farmers throughout Japan. So, Sashiko was primarily a form of
functional embroidery or reinforcement stitching. Today, it is a form of
decorative embroidery.
Many Sashiko patterns were derived from Chinese
designs, but just as many were developed by the Japanese themselves. The well-known
artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) published the book New forms for design in 1825, and these designs have
inspired many Sashiko patterns.
Technique: Sashiko, is basically a quilting technique,
used to sew together two layers of fabric. In Japan quilting is known as Sashiko. It can be also used to decorate or reinforce only one layer of fabric. As
a quilting or embroidery technique uses small running stitches sewn in
horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and curved lines.
The fisherman's quilted coat: As it was already mentioned Sashiko was primarily used to fasten
together several layers of fabric and to make them stronger and wormer. One of the most well-known applications of
Sashiko is the quilting of Japanese Fishernam’s coat, named the Sashiko
no donza or Donza. Donza apart from a warm and strong garment symbolized
the fisherman’s identity to outsiders and the status in his own community. This
means that the coats were not worn while fishing, but rather while visiting
town and friends, when assuming positions of authority on the job etc.
The decline of Sashiko no donza: The custom of the sashiko no donza declined in the 1920s, during
the beginning of industrialization. Japanese fishermen began powering their
boats with engines and started wearing westernized clothing. Inevitably women stopped
making the running stitch coats. As in many other cultures, older people keep
wearing the traditional costume. Many decades after, older fishermen could be
seen wearing Sashiko no donza, as a sign of identity. The sashiko technique was
adopted by many fiber artists in Japan and it is still a source of inspiration
for many contemporary textile-artists.
Spiritual protection: The
sashiko, as many other embroidered techniques, was considered magical. The use
of stitched patterns for spiritual protection may have originated with the Ainu
people. The Ainu are an indigenous people of Japan and Russia and they believed
that placing designs around the neck, sleeve openings, and hem of garments
prevented evil spirits from entering the wearer’s body.
However, the embroidered
and stitched garments as a form of protection can be seen in other aspects of
Japanese traditional culture. For example, a stitched or patchwork pattern
applied to the back neckline of a baby’s kimono was used to provide good luck or offer protection from evil or harm. During,
World War II a belt stitched by a thousand women was thought to defend a
soldier against enemy gunfire.
A woman’s skill: Sashiko, was
practiced by wives and grandmothers, who created coats for their husbands and
grandsons. Although Sashiko was mostly a type of domestic needlework, the
finest coats were commissioned from skilled seamstresses.
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