Sashiko Applique

Sashiko embroidery is rooted in Asian culture and tradition. Historically this style of embroidery was used to bind layers of fabric together to add extra warmth, and to repair worn areas of garments.

Embroidery Library has several different styles of designs that are inspired by this beautiful, traditional form of embroidery. The image to the left combines simple running stitches with raw-edge applique. Descriptions and definitions of different Sashiko styles are below:

The designs used in this tutorial include:

A Floral Sashiko (Applique) Design Pack

Simple Sashiko

Simple Sashiko designs are single running stitch designs. These designs can be used like simple Redwork, or to quilt layers of fabric and batting together. Instructions for using these types of designs to quilt can be found by clicking here.

White sashiko embroidery stitches form repeated maple leaf and fan shapes on a dark blue square fabric background.

Multi-Color or Complex Sashiko

Complex Sashiko designs retain the look and feel of the tradition, but also feature colorful, complex details. It is not advised that these designs be used to quilt through layers of fabric, as the complex areas (in the example to the left, the birds) will tamp the batting down flat. These designs bring vibrant color to your projects while embodying the spirit of the style. Examples for using these types of designs can be found by clicking here.

Embroidery of three colorful birds in orange, green, and yellow on a blue fabric with white geometric stitch patterns forming a background.

Sashiko Applique

Sashiko applique designs combine the simple stitching of the traditional use with a raw-edge applique method. Instructions for stitching these types of Sashiko designs are below.

Embroidery of two pink cherry blossoms with yellow centers on a brown branch, outlined in white and placed on a dark blue fabric background.

Gather Materials:

To use a Sashiko applique design, you'll need:

Fabric or blank item
Medium-weight cutaway stabilizer
Fabric for applique
Temporary spray adhesive
Pinking shears (optional)
30 weight cotton thread (we use Madeira Cotona from TheSewphisticatedStitcher.

Various fabric pieces in blue, yellow, and green on a wooden table with orange-handled scissors and a white spray adhesive can labeled KK 100.

When you download a Sashiko applique design you'll find two files. One includes the letters "DL," and those letters stand for "dieline." The dieline is what you'll use to cut the applique pieces to the proper shape and size.

If you have an embroidery software program, open the dieline and print a template.

White sheet of paper on a dark wood surface with a simple outline drawing of two stylized flower shapes in black ink.

Place the template on top of your applique fabric and cut out the shape. The applique Sashiko designs may have more than one applique piece. For example, the design to the left has three dielines: one for the top three petals, one for the bottom three petals, and one for the leaves.

Cut the fabric to the shape of the dielines for each applique piece.

Paper butterfly shapes cut out from a stencil, resting on yellow fabric; orange-handled scissors hold a butterfly cutout on a dark wooden surface.

You can also use pinking shears to cut the applique pieces to get a decorative edge to the fabric.

Yellow fabric cut into a bird shape with pinked edges on a dark wood surface, next to the angled blade tips of pinking shears.

Start Embroidering:

If you don't have embroidery software to print a template of the dielines, then you can stitch the dielines onto fabric.

To do this hoop fabric (no need for stabilizer).

Rectangular embroidery hoop holding bright yellow fabric with frayed edges, placed on a wooden table next to a white stapler.

Load the dieline file into your machine, and stitch.

After the first dieline has sewn, rehoop the fabric to stitch the next; rehoop the fabric to stitch the next.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching a bird outline on yellow fabric hooped in an embroidery frame. Background shows part of the machine.

Cut the fabric on the dieline. You can also use pinking shears for this, too.

Close-up of a hand using scissors to cut yellow fabric along a wavy pencil line on a dark wooden surface.

After you have the applique fabric cut to the proper size and shape, it's time to embroider the full embroidery design. That's the file that doesn't contain the letters "dl."

Hoop your fabric with a piece of cutaway stabilizer.

Blue fabric hooped in an embroidery frame, with a layer of darker blue fabric underneath, set on a wooden surface.

Embroider the design. The first part of the design to embroider is the simple, running stitch portion of the Sashiko design.

30 weight cotton thread is recommended (but not required) for this step. We use Madeira Cotona from TheSewphisticatedStitcher

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching repeating light yellow floral patterns onto a blue fabric held in a rectangular hoop. The machine is white with a green power indicator light on.

Then you'll see a dieline stitch. This traces the shape for the first applique piece.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching yellow floral applique patterns on blue fabric, showing needle and presser foot in action.

Remove the hoop from the machine (but don't unhoop the fabric). Spray the backside of the applique fabric with a bit of spray adhesive, and place it down on the fabric, inside the dieline.

Close-up of hands placing a yellow fabric bird applique onto blue fabric with gold floral Sashiko stitching inside an embroidery hoop.

Attach the hoop to the machine and continue stitching the design. A tackdown will stitch next, to "tack" the applique piece "down" to the fabric.

Sewing machine stitching yellow thread bird patterns and applique on blue fabric, with one yellow bird shape being stitched in center.

Each time a dieline stitches, spray the corresponding fabric piece with adhesive and press it inside the stitched dieline.

Close-up of a hand placing a green fabric applique shaped like a flower stem over a blue background with yellow and white flower outlines and one yellow fabric flower applique, all on a board with a white border.