Instructions

How to get started

How to embroider initials

Sign off your masterpiece by embroidering your initials in the bottom right hand corner like a true artist. You’ve put in the hard yards, so own it.

How to make French knots

How to embroider shapes

Embroidery is used to cover (or 'colour in') a larger shape with thread, e.g. an animal's nose, with a series of vertical stitches.

How to wash your Sashiko panel

The design on the Sashiko panel is printed on water soluble paper that will dissolve once it is wet. CAUTION – do not complete this until all stitching has been completed or all stitch markings will disappear.

(i) Fill a medium-sized container with warm water and add 3 drops of fabric detergent

(ii) Immerse the Sashiko panel in the warm water and gently run your fingers over the top of the frontside of the fabric. The water soluble paper leaves a temporarily slimy feeling as it dissolves.

(iii) Once the design has completely dissolved and it no longer feels slimy, let it sit in the warm water for 5 min.

(iv) Remove your Sashiko panel from the warm water and rinse it in clean water. Gently squeeze excess water out, lightly rearrange the fabric to make it square again and let it dry.

(v) Once dry, a warm iron with steam will remove any creases that exist

NOTE – I recommend watering plants with the leftover water from the container or pouring it down the toilet to discard.

How to attach your panel to a tote bag

CONGRATULATIONS for completing your Sashiko panel! Sincerely hope that you have enjoyed the process!

(i) Position the completed Sashiko panel on your tote bag with the stitched design facing upwards. Take care to centerise it and ensure it’s straight

(ii) Thread the (regular) sewing needle with the navy thread provided. Tie a knot at the end.

(iii) Insert the needle through the inside of the tote bag, coming out just at the edge of the Sashiko panel. This hides the knot inside the bag.

(iv) Pull the needle out through the tote bag and also through the edge of the Sashiko panel’s navy border. Leave a gap of 0.5cm to 1cm, then go back through the border of the panel and through the tote bag

(v) Repeat this stitching all around the panel to secure it to the bag. The smaller the stitches, the more invisible it will be (but the longer it will take). Keep the thread tension snug and can lie flat.

Once this has been completed, tie of the thread by making a small knot inside the tote bag. Trim the excess thread and use a warm iron if required.