SASHIKO 2 HOLIDAY SALE
Okan Arts is offering the Sashiko 2 machine for a special Holiday Sale price! Each machine is bundled with a Baby Lock Inspiration Guide (a $135 value) and shipped FREE to your home in the US.
If you’re interested in this special deal (that is too low to be published online), please email Patricia at patricia@okanarts.com
Okan Arts is an authorized seller of the Sashiko 2. The Sashiko 2 is made in Japan by Baby Lock.
--------------
By Patricia Belyea
WAUCONDA WA Boro Quilt may be the most plain quilt I’ve ever made. And yet, it’s one of my favorites.
[Boro is a Japanese word that means patched or old raggety cloth.]
To get started, I made a checkerboard grid of two indigo-striped yukata cottons plus one block of a non-matching geometric yukata cotton.
Once I stitched the big blocks together, I prepped thirteen curved insertions. I made patterns that exactly matched the circular graphics of a faux shibori yukata cotton.
After I inserted one circular element, I stopped. I loved the guilelessness of a solo patch.
I could have kept adding circular patches, but what would I have gained? Making an impressive quilt was not my goal.
The quilt project got handed over to Victoria for finishing. She made the decision to liven everything up with a bright turquoise and white yukata cotton for the back, a different turquoise and white yukata cotton for the designer facing, and three different thread colors for the Sashiko 2 machine quilting.
Victoria, a guru on the Sashiko 2 sewing machine, developed a straight-line stitch pattern for the quilting.
To mark the long stitch lines, Victoria used a 4-foot T-square and compressed chalk pencils—all the while keeping an eye on the design in her laptop.
The Sashiko 2 only uses a bobbin to sew its distinctive dashed stitches. As the machine’s bobbin is a standard size, the threads get used up quickly.
To get ready for quilting, Victoria loaded up many bobbins with Aurifil 12wt cotton thread—for a big stitch look.
Here’s a close-up of the stitching in progress.
[Note: the quilt sandwich is secured by tailor basting. The thick chalk lines, under the dashed stitching, will be washed away when the quilt is blocked.]
The humble quality of Boro was created with its non-assuming fabrics and uncomplicated design. The final touch, the Sashiko 2 stitching, added its genuine charm. Thank you Victoria!
The front of Boro.
A detail of the front of Boro—my hand-stitching in the circular patch contrasting with Victoria’s straight-line Sashiko 2 stitching.
The back of Boro with Victoria’s cheerful fabric choices.
A detail of the back and designer facing.
A close-up of the locked chainstitch on the backside of the dashed stitching made with the Sashiko 2.
ABOUT US: Okan Arts, a petite family business, is co-owned by mother-daughter duo Patricia Belyea and Victoria Stone. Patricia and Victoria sell Japanese textiles online, host creative quilting experiences, and lead quilting & textile tours to Japan.
FOLLOW OKAN ARTS ON INSTAGRAM @okanarts
