Indigo-Dyed Sashiko Work Jacket

Sashiko (刺し子, lit. 'little stabs') is a type of traditional Japanese embroidery or stitching used for the decorative and/or functional reinforcement of cloth and clothing.  

First coming into existence in the Edo period (1603–1867), sashiko embroidery was first applied to clothing out of a practical need and would have been used to strengthen the homespun clothes of olden times. Worn-out clothes were pieced together to make new garments by using simple running stitches. These clothes increased their strength with this durable embroidery. By the Meiji period (1868–1912), sashiko had been established enough to evolve into winter work in northern farming communities when it was too cold to work outside.

Sashiko was commonly used to reinforce already-patched clothing around points of wear, but it would also be used to attach patches to clothing, ultimately making the fabric stronger. It would also be used to layer thin fabrics to create warmth and, in the case of some garments such as the coats of firemen, to create a thick and absorbent material that would be soaked in water before carrying out duties as a fireman. Though most sashiko utilizes only a plain running stitch technique, sashiko is commonly used to create decorative and repeated embroidered patterns and may be used for purely decorative purposes, such as in the creation of quilts and embroidery samplers.