Centuries ago, Japanese peasants practised a running-stitch[?] technique called "little stabs" to patch torn or worn clothes. Mending was vital as cloth and thread were scarce and therefore valuable.
When white cotton thread became available, this was used for patching indigo blue garments, and this gave Sashiko its distinctive appearance.
The oldest surviving item of sashiko-stitched clothing is from the Asuka period and is a Buddhist priest's robe. It was donated to a temple in AD 756.
Many Sashiko patterns were derived from Chinese designs, but just as many were developed by the Japanese themselves.
The artist Katsushika Hokusai[?] (1760-1849) published the book "New Forms for Design" in 1824, and his designs have inspired many Sashiko patterns.
Patterns
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