Sashiko: Easy & Elegant Designs for Decorative Machine Embroidery

This book is both for the beginner and the advanced. It explains the basic techniques, how to transfer patterns, which materials to use. And then it brings various projects, each with a list of materials and tools, photos of the final product, patterns and designs. The book concludes with about 100 patterns/designs you can use, very clearly illustrated. A wonderful book.

The techniques and sample patterns are very inspiring especially for sewists that are becoming bored with plain fabrics. If you don't know how to stitch a straight line, this book will help in that area as well as teaching you a multitude of stitching design/styles that one can use on garments and home deco.Very compatible with Marcy Tilton's patterns particularly, the one she released in 2003.

I recently took Mary's beginner Sashiko one-day class and it was the best class I have taken and I've taken a good deal. This book thoroughly explains the process we learned in class. This is such an easy way to do exquisite Sashiko designs. This is not free-sytle quilting. You just stitch along the lines. You will be amazed at the product! It helps if your machine has a needle down feature. The book shows illustrations of the finished projects, which she brought to class. I highly recommend this book to those who have a ruler, compass, and graph paper, and Sulky ink transfer pens, and are willing to prepare the paper sheets for fabric design transfer. Her method is easy and precise. This is by far, my most valued book. I am a quilter and have quite an extensive library. You will love this book and the history behind the designs. The designs range from beginner to advanced and there are many to choose from!

This book is very thorough about the history, traditions, and designs of the art of sashiko. I learned much more than I expected from a design book--I expected just a small introduction to the art and then a few projects and designs to begin with. There is much, much more! The author also shows how to put together designs of your own so there are no limits to where you can go with the knowledge from the book. However, the drawings are small and will have to be enlarged to be useful--also I wish there was at least a small section about sashiko by hand--but the title says it all--Machine Embroidery. I'll be trying it out tomorrow.