of Wabi-Sabi in their own unique way.
The origins of sashiko are found in the
peasantry of ancient Japan. Translating
roughly into 'little stabs', sashiko was winter
work for women from farming or fishing
families, who used the technique to extend
the life of worn fabrics, mend, and winterize
clothing, and embellish everyday items.
But the Japanese grew to appreciate the
beauty of these folk textiles and their
imperfections.
While Sashiko was used often used to
embellish otherwise dull working garments,
Boro was exclusively born out of necessity.
Meaning "ragged" or "tattered," the boro
style was favored by nineteenth and early
twentieth-century rural Japanese.
Cotton was not common in Japan until
well into the twentieth century, so when
a kimono or sleeping futon cover started
to run thin in a certain area, the family's
women patched it with a small piece of
scrap fabric using sashiko stitching.
