Using Janome’s
Sashiko-Style Stitches
Created by: Kimberly Einmo, Janome National Spokesperson
www.janome.com
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Time: Varies depending on the project you
are embellishing.
Skill Level: Beginner/Intermediate.
Janome Supplies Required:
• Janome sewing machine with a hand-stitch
design capability (the Continental M7 is used
in this tutorial)
• Optional: use the blue diamond or blue dot
bobbin casing (depending on your model).
This low-tension bobbin casing can be
purchased for your specific machine model
- Kimberly’s Top Tip: Using this blue dot/diamond
bobbin casing is necessary to achieve the
prettiest stitches!
• Decorative Stitch needle plate (typically the
one set on the machine)
• F2 Presser Foot (Clear Open Toe Satin
Stitch Foot)
• Empty Janome-brand bobbins
• Red-Tip Janome Needle
Fabric and Notions Required:
• The fabric or project you would like to embellish
– traditional Japanese Sashiko stitching combines
indigo fabric with white stitching. Use what works
best for your project!
• 60 weight thread in a contrasting color to your
fabric, wound on your bobbin
• Monofilament (invisible) thread
- Kimberly’s Top Tip: You can use 100wt. thread
in the needle that matches the background fabric
in place of monofilament thread.
• Basic sewing notions and supplies
• Optional: lightweight to mediumweight stabilizer
or spray starch
Setting Up Your Machine
• Be sure your decorative stitch needle plate is
installed, this is typically the plate that is set on
the machine at purchase.
• I recommend using the F2 Presser Foot (Clear
Open Toe Satin Stitch Foot)
• Find a stitch in your stitch menu that looks like
stitch #4, as shown by the blue highlight.
If your Janome machine has the hand-stitch style design capability, you can
create the look of Sashiko-style stitches for a unique and creative touch to many
sewing projects! Sashiko is a type of Japanese embroidery stitching used for
decorative and/or functional reinforcement of fabric and clothing. Sashiko-style
stitching replicates the look of big-stitch quilting or straight stitch embellishments
by hand and is popular in quilting, crafting, and fashion right now.
There are many Janome sewing machine models with this type of stitch capability. However, I am using the
Continental M7 for photos and to demonstrate how to set up your machine to achieve Sashiko-style stitches.
I’m excited for you to try it; I think you will enjoy the world of creativity it opens for you to add hand-stitch
design stitches to your sewing projects!
Using Janome’s Sashiko-Style Stitches
www.janome.com
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• Or, on the Continental M7, touch the Sewing
Applications button (icon that looks like a t-shirt),
and then highlight the Quilting Stitches section,
as seen below. Select the Sashiko stitch grouping.
• And then select the Sashiko 1 icon.
• Increase the upper thread tension on your machine
to the highest setting, shown below, so the needle
will pull the bobbin thread up to the top of the
fabric.
• Or, on the Continental M7, touch to the Sewing
• Always use stabilizer underneath your fabric or stitch
through several layers of fabric.
- Kimberly’s Top Tip: Adding starch to lightweight
fabrics prior to stitching helps produce pretty,
even stitches.
• Don’t be afraid to adjust the stitch length to suit
your needs.
- Kimberly’s Top Tip: My personal favorite stitch length
setting is for a 5.0 stitch length. This mimics the look
of hand sewn Sashiko stitches beautifully!
Have fun adding these decorative Sashiko-style
stitches to all your projects!
