I know. You were all set to try a kuguri-sashi sashiko stitching project, but then you couldn't figure out how much thread to order and you got tired of looking at your screen and did something else instead!
I would have told you.
But I didn't know either 😳
Now I do, so here are the 5 patterns available as pre-printed fabric kits on my website (there are new ones coming in the fall, maybe sooner) and how many skeins of Olympus 20 meter sashiko thread you will need for each. (Scroll down for a general how to do it, each design is a little different, but the method is the same. First you stitch a design. Second you weave under those threads in a pattern)
Asagoa: Total of 6 skeins (2 for the hitome-sashi stitching and 4 for the weaving step). (There is a step by step how to for this design here)
Kikkoh Hana-sashi: Total of 4 skeins (3 for the hitome-sashi stitching and 1 for the weaving step)
Zenigame: Total of 6 skeins (3 for the hitome-sashi stitching and 3 for the weaving step) (There is a tutorial for how to stitch this design here)
Yabane: Total of 2 skeins (1 for the stitching, 1 for the weaving step)
Apparently I never wrote a tutorial for this design! Oops! Yabane is easy to follow from the photo on the package tho.
Hemp Leaf and Coins: Total of 3 skeins (2 for the hitome-sashi stitching and 1 for the weaving step) (There is a tutorial for how to do this design here)
Kuguri-sashi, the technique:
Probably if you are reading this you know that Kuguri-sashi is a sashiko technique that is done in two steps.
First you stitch a hitome-sashi (single stitch sashiko) pattern, (like this one which is simple x's about 1/4" apart)
and then you weave threads in a pattern under those stitches to create a new design. (Tip: don't use the tip of your needle to weave, use the eye!) In this particular pattern you do two layers of weaving which makes a denser design, but many Kurugi designs have only one layer of weaving. I used the pink thread to show this in this photo, but in the actual weaving I used the same colour for both colour.
The end result is a deeply textured beautiful stitching design
Happy Stitching,
Susan