Unshin (運針), Kasane (重ね), Itokoki (いとこき), Mizutoushi (水通し), and Itokiri (糸切り）... Sashiko has a name for each step of the stitching process. I mainly teach Unshin and related topics in [Core & Essence]. When I offer a multi-day workshop or retreat, I introduce all of these Japanese words within the Sashiko process. I thought of another way to "leave it behind" by sharing videos of my stitching process, including all of the steps above. This is not a series of tutorials, but more like a series of archives where viewers can learn Sashiko by watching and stitching together.
I strongly recommend taking the [Core & Essence] In-Person Workshop or the Online Sashiko Class along with this project. Alternatively, the introductory Sashiko course on Domestika would be a good resource or addition. That being said, anyone can join this Live Streaming, where my goal is to leave "it" behind.
The live stream is in both Japanese and English. In the process of "Learning by Watching", language would not be a big obstacle, so I hope you can find the scenes that answer the questions you may carry.
YouTube Live is available below:
https://www.youtube.com/@SashikoStory/streams
The Live Streams between May 7th, 2026 and __________ are the videos for the pattern: Hishi-Seigaiha.
- The 1st Live Streaming in Japanese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2daHfpdy6I
- The 1st Live Streaming in English: https://www.youtube.com/live/Y1EsHQhTZmQ?si=VQg1fE873-5lUiqI
The exact same fabric I use is available on this website. For those who are new to the Sashiko we practice, I can prepare a bundle package with everything you would need for the essential Sashiko stitching: the needle, the thimble, the thread, and other miscellaneous materials.
https://sashikostory.com/products/stitch-along-with-atsushi-1
When you join while the Live is "Active" — when I am actually offering the Live Streaming on this topic — I am happy to answer questions during the Live, unless they are about technical topics such as "how to use the thimble" or "how to do Kasane". For technical questions, please consider taking the [Core & Essence] Workshop or Online Class, where I can and will answer all of the questions you may have. I appreciate your understanding that I limit my availability in order to be fair within the limited time I have available.
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Why Hishi Seigaiha?
We have a number of geometric patterns often used in Sashiko. Why did I choose the Hishi Seigaiha pattern for this offer?
We now have 5 patterns available as “Indigo Fabric (SCR_100) with pattern pre-printed”. Although it is very important to learn how to prepare the pattern by oneself, I also wanted to share the fun part of Sashiko by offering “Ready to Stitch” fabric.
Among the 5 patterns, “Asano-ha” may be the one I stitch most often, and it is one of my favorite patterns. However, I am pretty sure that I already have quite many videos of me stitching the Asano-ha pattern from the beginning to completion in previous videos and Live Streamings. Shippou and Amimon are interesting patterns, and they require a bit of adjustment in rhythm, but when it comes to Kasane and how to do Sashiko in our style, they are not the highest priority.
Well... additional behind the scene... Keiko made a bit of a mistake and cut the fabric larger than it should be. I first thought of stitching all of them myself, but I decided to share this fun process with the world. The availability of the exact same fabric is limited to 5 pieces. One can get a similar-size fabric with the same pre-printed pattern here, so the difference is minor.
I hope you can join this Live Streaming with the same tools and materials in your hands, across the screen.
https://www.youtube.com/@SashikoStory/streams
