How To Make A Boro-Inspired Tote
This project is an excerpt from Make & Mend: The Japanese Art of Sashiko Embroidery - 15 Beautiful Visible Mending Projects by Jessica Marquez.
You will need:
- One 20 x 23 cm piece medium-weight fabric for the pocket
- Ruler Tailor’s chalk Square and Diamond pattern (see www. selvedge.org)
- Sashiko thread (Olympus #2 off-white)
- Scissors
- Sashiko needle
- Iron Sewing pins
- Sewing machine and matching sewing thread
- Large medium to heavy fabric scraps or 45 x 90 cm fabric for the tote
- Self-healing mat & rotary cutter
- Two 9 x 60 cm pieces of fabric, or 200 x 2.5 cm cotton webbing for straps
- 90 x 45 cm fabric for the lining
Defined by its use of the running stitch and geometric patterns, sashiko is traditionally used to mend and repair clothing and textiles. This simple, efficient stitch grew out of a practical need to insulate, strengthen, patch and mend textiles to extend their life, but it can just as easily be used to create beautiful projects for the home.
Jessica says: "I love a good tote bag and use one daily. Living in New York City, a tote is basically mandatory. You carry everything you may need (and don’t) in a given day around with you. With easy everyday use in mind, I designed this boro- inspired tote to be your go-to bag. The convenient front pocket allows for quick access to the items most likely to be lost at the bottom of your bag, like your phone, glasses, and keys. It’s wide enough and deep enough to be used as a reusable grocery bag."
In the United States, about one hundred billion plastic bags are used every year, about one trillion globally. Plastic bags don’t biodegrade; they break down slowly into toxic bits of plastic contaminating soil, water and our oceans. Feel great about reducing your environmental impact with this beautiful, tote.
Make & Mend: The Japanese Art of Sashiko Embroidery by Jessica Marquez £12.99, Ilex Press ISBN: 1781576920.
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