If you want to make a boro cloth that resembles the authentic stitched boro cloths of the past, this fabric stitched with the Olympus Sashiko thread, then washed a few times, will give you that look.
Although it is not the high quality of the more expensive Olympus fabrics in this collection it is a good medium weight fabric with a slightly coarse texture. With a few washings it will quickly take on the qualities of vintage boro pieces with the sashiko thread melding into the cloth and the cloth tightening up around the stitching for that distinctive "quilt-y" look.
Your sashiko needle will travel through this fabric easily even when you are stitching through two or more layers, so you can make authentic layered stitched cloth.
Notes for a nicer looking project
This fabric looks and feels nicer after it has been washed. It can go through the washer and dryer (low-medium heats only for cottons, never hot), is colourfast, and won't shrink noticeably.
Just a reminder, when when you are stitching with sashiko thread you are putting a lot of thick cotton thread into the fabric. This is going to cause the fabric to become pulled and bunched as your project progresses. To stop this from happening leave some looseness in your stitching threads, or better yet, leave a little loop (maybe 1/4") of thread on the back of the fabric about every 4 to 6 inches. As you continue to stitch (and later when washed more times) those loops will allow enough ease to keep the fabric from pulling out of shape.
Often the loops will disappear as your stitching continues because they get get 'used' in keeping the fabric from bunching, but if they don't and they bother you, you can use your needle to pull them between fabric layers or to the fabric back when you are finished.
More about the fabric
This medium-light weight fabric is a dyed yarn woven shot cotton. Dyed yarn means the cotton threads were dyed before the cloth was woven. 'Shot cotton' means the warp threads are one colour and the weft threads are a second colour (or a different shade of the same colour). These techniques create interesting variation and depth in the fabric colour, and in this case it causes this new cotton fabric to resemble a vintage natural fibre cloth.
This fabric has enough drape and is a nice weight for a button down style shirt also.
This fabric is 44" wide
How to order the amount you want: Order the length you want by putting 1 unit in the order box for every 10" in length. That means: 1 will get you 10", 2 will get you 20", 3 will get you 30", 4 will get you 40" (or one meter) and so on.
You will see the price change in your cart.
Your fabric will be sent to you in one uncut piece.
This fabric is also available in other colours.
