Sashiko Tea Towel

There's a tradition in Japan of giving small domestic items as gifts to friends. This type of gift is called "zakka." An embroidered tea towel, a handmade pincushion – these are the sorts of presents friends exchange and treasure. In this workshop I'll use a traditional Japanese quilting technique called Sashiko to embellish an indigo tea towel. The design is a classic geometric pattern of a square folding on itself and reminds me of origami sculpture. The bold white stitches against the dark blue background look fresh and modern today. This tea towel might just be too nice to use!

Making an everyday object beautiful is a great place to start with any craft. And after you've made one towel for yourself, you can use your new skills to make beautiful gifts for family and friends. Drying dishes can be a mundane chore, so why not turn it into an opportunity to admire and showcase your crafty talent?

I can't wait to teach you this stylish, zen method of embroidery. This workshop features step-by-step photo instructions, and should you have any questions, my quilting expertise is at your disposal.

Finished Dimensions

In this workshop I'm making a tea towel from indigo fabric cut 18 in. x 24 in. (45.5 cm x 61 cm). It's really your choice as to the eventual size. Bought tea towels come in many sizes. If you use a bought tea towel, remember you need to only embellish the towel near its hem.