MY SASHIKO BAG FROM JAPAN.

I have just bought this wonderful and so beautiful SASHIKO bag.

SASHIKO is a quilting technique using a running stitch to reinforce and prolong the life of a fabric or to stitch and recycle old pieces of cloth into a new garment. SASHIKO created warmer and more durable fabrics for the Japanese farmer who originally used the stitch for practical reasons. Decorative SASHIKO stitching developed out of the need for warmth and durability and functions to embellish while strengthen the garment.
The bag is about 80-100 years old and has probably been used to collect money. The name of the pattern is "Asa no ha". Asa is hemp and ha is leaf.
This pattern is so beautiful and so well made. I find it interesting to see that the person who have made this bag, have made the little changement in the stitching of the pattern.Detail.

"Manji tunagi." The mean of manji is the ward of Buddhism and tunagi means connection.

Detail.

Everywhere I look there are a new SASHIKO stitch.

Detail.

The stitch of the bottom is a similar pattern that was found in the northern Japan, but it was made in the western area.

In another post Gallery Kei in Kyoto, I have recommended several books about SASHIKO.