One of the items on my Retirement Project List was to use my Babylock Sashiko machine, a specialty machine that is able to replicate the look of hand Sashiko stitching. I bought it maybe 7 years ago and after sewing a few samples, haven’t touched it since. At the time there was very little information available on using it for garment sewing. Sandra Betzina and cohost Ron Collins eventually published two videos, Mastering the Sashiko Machine and Sashiko on Knits, featuring Babylock Sashiko machine sewing on garments. The videos were available only on Vimeo, where you had to pay to watch them. The Mastering the Sashiko Machine video is now available free on YouTube. The Sashiko-Embellishing Knits with the Baby Lock Sashiko video is available for purchase ($5) on the Babylock website.
I found the perfect garment project to use this machine on. The Emy Kimono jacket from Etsy vendor MspatternsAlelier.
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It had lots of curved seaming that just begged to be highlighted with topstitching. The pattern was one size fits all and did not come with any instructions. I could not find any reviews or makes of it anywhere. I took the risk and bought the pattern. After printing and assembling the PDF pattern, I checked all the finished garment measurements and walked the seams to make sure the drafting was correct. The only issue I found was that the 2 pattern pieces for the front lining had the writing/label on the back side of the pattern piece, unlike all the garment pattern pieces which were labeled on the front side. The two pieces are different shapes because of the asymmetrical fronts and must be cut so that the good or face side of the lining fabric is on the inside of the jacket when it is assembled. After giving this information to the pattern maker, she notified me that she had corrected the issue in the pattern PDF.
The size was perfect for me. For reference I am a large size USA woman. It would also fit a medium USA man.
It was so satisfying watching the Sashiko machine form perfect topstitches in yellow thread on the orangy red fabric.
Fabric is 80% wool/20% silk purchased from Fabric Mart Fabrics in 2006, in the color "Paprika". Lining is a coordinating silk print from the stash.
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| Kimono with Sashiko Machine topstitching |
