The Little Big Book of Sashiko

If you’re wondering whether The Little Big Book of Sashiko is for beginners and whether it’s right for you, the answer is yes—if you’re looking for a direct, visual guide. The approach is practical: it helps you understand the logic behind sashiko embroidery (drawing, transferring and stitching in an organised way) and avoid common mistakes that spoil the clean look of a motif, such as uneven tension or poorly handled crossings.

It’s also a good fit if you already embroider and want to improve your finishing, because it focuses on the details that really make a difference: intersections, angles, stitch continuity and thread control on the reverse. It’s the kind of book that helps you improve the final result, not just “make stitches”.

The Little Big Book of Sashiko focuses on traditional sashiko with Japanese geometric motifs, so you’ll find patterns made up of lines and repeats built from grids and clear rules. This is exactly what most people want when they’re learning how a motif is structured, so they can understand it and reproduce it accurately on fabric—not just copy a drawing without knowing why it works.

More than a catalogue of motifs, the real value is learning the stitching order and the reasoning behind each pattern. That lets you practise, combine and adapt motifs while keeping the sashiko style. If you’re drawn to Japanese embroidery for its clean, repetitive aesthetic, this approach will suit you well.

Yes. The Little Big Book of Sashiko includes a section on transferring the motif before stitching, explaining fabric transfer techniques, which is one of the most common questions when you’re starting out. It doesn’t just tell you “do it like this”: it makes you aware of practical details—how to centre the motif, how to avoid shifting caused by the thickness of the marking line, and how to choose the best method depending on the fabric.

It also covers specific marking tools for cleaner prep, with tips on removing marks without damaging the fabric. This is especially useful if you want to embroider on “final” pieces (bags, clothing or home décor), not only on practice scraps.

If you’re interested in sashiko for more than just swatches, The Little Big Book of Sashiko is a strong foundation in traditional Japanese embroidery, because it teaches finishing principles and a working order you can carry over to any project. Once you control intersections, angles and tension, the stitching looks clean on a real piece—which is where sashiko truly shines.

Sashiko can be used as decorative embroidery, as reinforcement, and to personalise textiles, and this kind of guide prepares you to make that leap with confidence. It doesn’t depend on having a perfectly steady hand from day one; it depends on following a method and understanding how the motif is constructed.

If you’re going to buy The Little Big Book of Sashiko, the essentials are simple: a stable, tightly woven fabric (cotton or linen work really well), a strong thread, and a comfortable embroidery needle. From there, what helps most is having a way to mark the motif accurately and remove the marks afterwards, because in sashiko the layout and marking order has a huge impact on the final result.

You don’t need an “arsenal” of tools to begin, but two things are worth paying attention to: clean marking and even stitch tension. With those in place, you’ll progress faster and your embroidery will look more regular, even on motifs with crossings or changes of direction.