A Dash of Grey

I have taken inspiration from the traditional Japanese embroidery technique of Sashiko. Sashiko is a form of decorative reinforcement stitching (or functional embroidery) from Japan. Traditionally used to reinforce points of wear, or to repair worn places or tears with patches, this running stitch technique is often used for purely decorative purposes in quilting and embroidery. The white cotton thread on the traditional indigo blue cloth gives sashiko its distinctive appearance, though decorative items sometimes use red thread.

This folk embroidery uses basic running stitches to create a patterned background. The geometric patterns include straight or curved lines of stitching arranged in a repeating pattern. The Japanese word Sashiko means little stabs and refers to the small stitches used in this form of needlework. Due to its beauty and durability it has become an art form rather than just functional, and is very popular with quilters. Inspiration for traditional sashiko designs usually comes from nature, such as clouds, rippling water or waves, owers and leaves. Designs can also be very geometric featuring interlocking lines, stars, squares, triangles and circles. Tessellating designs - repeating shapes that are interlocked - are also very common motifs in sashiko embroidery.
Although traditionally done on Indigo fabric for the following collection I have used a white organic cotton base with greyish green decorative embroideries. Designs and patterns made on grids are the key elements when it comes to Sashiko. The same have been used in my nal collection to create decorative yokes and cuffs for a modern summer collection.

Keyword

· Color Blocking · Patchwork · Panels · Blocks · Details · Constellations · Organic · Cotton · Boro · Indigo

· Modern · Contemporary · Bold · Grid · Asymmetrical · Geometric · Summer

Creative swatches for the collection were developed to explore the various techniques incorporated, grids of varying sizes were explored to form the base for the hand embroidery to take place. Sashiko designs are greatly inspired by nature and the repeats range from organic shapes and can vary up to tesselations and geometric shapes. Initial paper explorations were carried out to determine what worked well for easier execution and training. Simple geometric repeats and elements seemed simpler for execution and reected greatly upon this traditional folk art.

The nal grid selected was 0.75 in by 0.75 in. Geometrical repeats were the key design element that was explored here. The nal 11 selected concepts were categorised into three - Buta, Trellis and Lehriya. Explorations were carried out on indigo base fabrics to understand the concept and story behind sashiko as a folk art. Although Sashiko is traditionally done on Indigo bases the nal collection was carried out on white organic cotton bases. the threads used for exploration and nal development range from stitching threads to anchor embroidery cotton threads.

Sashiko as a tradtinal technique follows two design ques with its motifs ranging between - Organic and geometric forms. Geometric designs are the key highlight trend for SS15 found amongst many runway collections.

Initial paper explorations were done to highlight the different designs and concepts that could be followed to take the collection forward. Simplicity in the design was the next important key element that needed to be followed. The following images are a glimpse of the extensive explorations carried out.

After the initial paper explorations fabric swatches were created to explore the embroidery techniques that could be executed to create the desired looks. Running stitches are the standard embroidery stitches followed in sashiko.

The initial swtches let me explore the different grid sizes that could be used.

After the initial designs were nalised the layouts were created on the paper patterns to see the ow of the nal design. Border designs were incorporated to highlight the design and break the grid pattern.

The Selected layouts were carried forward and digitised into the nal layuts which would be printed on butter paper to create the nal stencil. Holes are created along the nal printed pattern and then further embroidery takes place.

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The final samples

(Each of the silhouettes has other embroidery layouts.)