Fabric lovers know about the importance of Japanese influences in the design of new prints and in the combination of different methodologies to create avant-garde collections today.

Japanese textile tradition lasts in time thanks to the richness of its technique and its characteristic prints. Designers, manufacturers, coolhunters … there are many people who take inspiration from Asian fabrics to develop their projects.

Sashiko, embroidery telling stories

 Sashiko is a Japanese embroidery technique, based on simplicity. It emerged in the Edo Period (1615-1868) and was born to reinforce and repair the clothes of the workers. Those weren’t allowed to dress in stamped and colored fabrics, reserved only for the upper classes. For this reason, the fabrics were dyed with the indigo (plant very abundant in that territory), which together with the Sashiko edges, gave even more resistance and extended the life of the fabrics.

These garments were used and reused continuously, because it was unthinkable throwing away one of those pieces of cloth that had cost so much effort.

It started out as a merely utilitarian embroidery, but its geometric shapes became more organic, inspired by nature. That’s how Sashiko became a cultural expression more of the Japanese tradition.

In 1868 the laws that prohibited using printed fabrics to the working classe wer abolished. But Sashiko, instead of disappearing, took more momentum. Its designs became more flexibles and began to fill with color.

Nowadays, the aesthetic result of Sashiko is one of its greatest attractions, but it is not the only one, all its designs have a conceptual meaning that together with the curious history of its origins, become this technique very interesting.

Japanese inspiration

With the arrival of the month, we launch new section on our website, the Japanese-inspired fabrics. A theme that we started with Shibori and now, already entrenched, is led by the new collection SashikoA group of 16 designs of embroidered fabrics, as a tribute to this century-old Asian technique reinterpreting some of its more traditional designs. With an Indigo Fabrics particular touch, here you have the stories hidden behind these beautiful cuties:

 

Sākuru サークル (circles): Circles interlaced in cherry tones

on white background. Takes its name from “Sakura”, cherry blossom.

Also a female common name.

 

Hachi 蜂 (bee): Honeycomb. Continuous hexagonal shapes in red

as a warm indoor shadow over a yellow background.

Reminds the golden color of yummy honey.

 

Egaku 描く (to draw): Traced lines. Drawing lines in several

directions. Motion with light blue background.

 

Musubi 結び (Node, nexus, closure): Points that draw

triangles, figures that are completed thanks to the nodes on their side.

On indigo blue background, calm blue.

 

Hana 花 (flower): Organic, floral design. Lotus flower and also a

traditional woman name. Simplicity and femininity embodied in

a embroidery.

 

Kaori 香 (aroma): It means that it will be sweet and pleasant (that’s

why it has warm tones). The lines in different directions announce

movement, continuity. In addition it’s also a girl’s name.

 

Katen カ ー テ ン (curtain): Ornamental drawing. Winding movement

of the fabric. Remembrance of the waves, scales …

 

 

Nami 波 (wave): Wave design over a warm, red sunset sea.

It is also a common name.

 

Miwa 美 和 (beautiful peace):Common name of girl. Calls for Harmony,

beauty. A whole geometric composition, symmetrical, harmonic.

 

Ayami あ や み (sea of colors): Colored sea. It is the union of “Aya”

(colored) + “Mi” (“Umi”, sea). The most “girly” in the collection.

Again, it is also another nice Japanese name.

 

 

Tarô 太 朗 (Eldest son): This is a name composed of “Ta”

(From tai, eldest) + “ro” (male child). Golden stars on pink background,

A tribute to the memory of a beloved person.

 

 

Hoshi 星 (stars): Geometric drawing that emulates the marks that

remain in the sky or in the sea. 

 

Momiji 紅葉 (autumn leaves): Composition on brown background of

the Autumn leaves emulating the moment when they fall to the

ground and leave their marks.

 

Rasen 螺旋 (spiral): Continuous geometric design in cream background.

Concentric points with movement.

 

Midori 緑 (green): Geometric design on mint green background, super trendy.

Japanese female name as well.

 

Natsumi 夏海 (summer sea): Sea wave design on dark blue background. It is a

summer night sea. It takes its name from “Natsu” (Summer) + “Mi” (sea).

It is also a woman’s name.

 

As you can read, in every design there is a story, a feeling to put into words. Fabrics, sewing projects… can also communicate, express what we want to tell to the world. At Indigo Fabrics we try to apply it to each of our collections, so this is the first of the beautiful “textile” stories we have to tell you. And you, what do you express through your sewing? We are “all eyes” readers ?

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