Sashiko is Possible in Electric Quilt

What is Sashiko?

Sashiko is a Japanese hand sewing technique that involves stitching patterns of running stitches to reinforce or decorate cloth and clothing.

The word "sashiko" literally translates to "little stabs". Four or six thin strands of 100% cotton thread are twisted together tightly to create a single strand of Sashiko thread. Sashiko thread is non-divisible, meaning that it is meant to be used as a single strand and not divided down or pulled apart like embroidery floss.

Sashiko and Electric Quilt

Because of the geometric nature of these designs, they are very conducive to drawing inEasyDraw and PolyDraw.

​However if the plan is to use the designs for traditional Sashiko, the EasyDraw/PolyDraw tools really don’t work well due to the double stitch lines created with adjoining patches.

​So I found that the best way to create Sashiko designs is as an applique motif. 

​I will be sharing how in this tutorial.

Sierpinski Triangle

Sierpinski Triangle from Wikipedia

Mary Groesbeck of Womancave Design shared with me an idea that involved using Sashiko in a Sierpinski triangle.  The blocks and quilt I am sharing today was inspired by her design.  The Sierpinski triangle essentially is a block with equilateral triangles inside other equilateral triangles.

Per Wikipedia, "the Sierpiński triangle, also called the Sierpiński gasket or Sierpiński sieve, is a fractal with the overall shape of an equilateral triangle, subdivided recursively into smaller equilateral triangles." ​

So what is an equilateral triangle?  

​An equilateral triangle is a triangle in which all three sides have the same length, and all three angles are equal.

Equilateral Triangle Diagram

Rather than remembering my High School Geometry, I typically use an online Equilateral Triangle calculator to figure out my measurements for my blocks and quilt. 

Here is a link to my favorite.  ​

Rechneronline Equilateral Triangle Calculator

Here were the measurements I used in my blocks and quilts.  The only thing you need from the calculator is edge length (width) and height (height).

​Just ignore the rest!

Equilateral Triangle Calculations

Drafting the Sierpinski Triangle Quilting Motif

Set up a new block that is a combination EasyDraw&Applique.

Using the equilateral triangle calculator measurements, set the Block Width at 16 and Block Height at 13.86.

On the EasyDraw tab, draw the outside edges for the triangle.  Find the center of each edge (Partition>Half) and and draw a line from the center node to the opposing corners.

Partitioned Equilateral Triangle on the EasyDraw tab

Sashiko Stitching triangles on the applique tab

Go to the Applique Tab.

Trace one of the EasyDraw triangles.

Select the 3 lines, clone, resize and position in the larger triangle.

Continue to clone, resize and position for two additional triangles.

Clone, rotate 120 degrees and reposition two additional sets of three triangles.  Use the EasyDraw lines as reference lines for placement.

Add one line from the center of the equilateral triangle to the lower right corner.

Delete the outside line from first triangle.
​

Sashiko Stitching in EasyDraw&Applique Block

Sashiko Stitching as an Applique Motif

Using the Edit tool in the main toolbar, copy all the lines on the applique tab.

Paste them in a new Applique Motif block.

Select Thread tools and color the lines.

Drafting an Equilateral Triangle in EasyDraw

Draw a basic Equilateral Triangle in EasyDraw and color.  Of course if you didn't want the two outside triangles, you could draft this this same triangle in PolyDraw instead.

EasyDraw Equilateral Triangle

Equilateral Triangle Block

Drafting Stitching for the Outside Triangles

Start a new Applique Motif block.

Block size is actually not important, but set the snaps horizontal at 20 and vertical at 10.

Snapping options should be just Snap to Grid.

Draft slanted lines on both the left and right sides of the blocks connecting nodes on the left and right edges with nodes on the bottom.

Sashiko Stitching for Outside Triangles

Drafting the Sierpinski Quilt

Set up a new Custom Set quilt.

On the layout tab change the size to a width of 64 and a height of 55.5. (The 55.5 is a rounding of the calculated number of 55.426.)

​On the border tab, change the size to 1/2 inch and the style to mitered.

Custom Set Layout

Sierpinski Triangle Layer 1

Place the EasyDraw Equilateral triangle block on Layer 1.

With the Adjust tool change the size to 64 x 55.5 and center horizontally and vertically.

​Color the border.

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On Layer 2 place the Triangle Applique motif blocks.

Use Snap to Grid (set at 2") for placement of the first row.
​
For the second, third and four rows, you will be able to snap to grid for the X-Axis.

However you will need to manually input the numbers for the Y-Axis.  Refer to the Equilateral Triangle calculator number for the numbers to use for the Y-Axis.

Sierpinski Triangle Layer 2

Sierpinski Triangle Layer 3

On Layer 3, place the stitching (stencil) for the outside triangles.

Size the motif at 64 x 55.5 (consistent with the block size).

Center horizontally and vertically.

Watch the full video tutorial.

Here is the final quilt.

Sierpinski Triangle Quilt Designed in Electric Quilt

If you would like to get creative, consider creating a different stencil for the Sierpinski triangles.  I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

Hint:  In exporting your image, make sure to have on Outline patches and Outline blocks.  Otherwise you will not see the stitching on Layer 2.

Learning EQ Facebook Group Post for Sierpinski Triangle Quilt

Happy quilting.

​Kari

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