Читать книгу The Ultimate Sashiko Sourcebook - Susan Briscoe - Страница 13

Stitching fabric, especially for your family, creates something special in all cultures (just think of the reasons for making a quilt). In Japan, takonomakura (five-pointed cross) protected Kyushu fishermen from shipwreck while a pentagonal star and five criss-crossed lines were talismans for female divers in Mie Prefecture. Three, five and seven are lucky numbers, often reflected in sashiko designs. Zigzag patterns were considered protective, as evil spirits cannot follow the zigzag lines (the same belief behind zigzag bridges in Japanese gardens), and diamond points also kept evil away. In Shōnai, certain patterns are stitched to bring prosperity, so komezashi (rice stitch) would be appropriate for a farmer and urokozashi (fish scale stitch) for a fisherman. Paired or double motifs are associated with weddings. See the Pattern Library pages 58–109 for more information.

Hanashijūshi (flower cross, page 100), koshi tsunagi (linked check, page 80) and igeta ni hakkaku tsunagi (special linked well curb, page 79) reflect stripe, check and kasuri ikat textiles respectively. These popular patterns were more complex to weave than plain indigo but sashiko gave a similar efffect.