Sashiko Project Bag

Pattern/Kit: 2 Tulips Project Pouch Kit (Sue Spargo)

Designer:

Thread: Olympus Sashiko Thread – 6 skeins in various colors – grey, light blue, bright blue, red, green, yellow

NOTE: I chose this kit because the photo showed muted colors; I was surprised by the colors I received as they were very bright and not muted at all. (Okay. that was actually a big disappointment, but I carried on.)

Kit: The kit included a pre-printed piece of muslin for the front, with enough muslin for the back of the bag, lining fabric, casing fabric, drawstring cording, 6 Sashiko threads, One of a Kind label, and pattern. (The kit does not include Sashiko needles, but this is clearly stated in the product description.)

NOTE: The printed fabric for the bag is thin muslin. The product description indicates that it is “canvas,” but it’s very thin muslin.

I ordered my kit from Sue Spargo.

Completed: August 2026

What am I going to do with it? Use it as a project bag.

Notes:

I usually use a backing fabric when I stitch/embroider. I didn’t do this for this particular project and regret it. The printed fabric is very thin, and the Sashiko thread is heavy. I ended up with a lot of puckering, which is combination of thin fabric, thick thread, (likely) my own tension issues, and . . . not using a backing fabric.
Because the colors included in my kit did not match up (at all) to the colors in the pattern, I just did my own thing.
The pre-cut fabric included in the kit for the casing and lining and (ostensibly) the “tulips” was not cut to the measurements indicated in the pattern instructions. I didn’t use the lining fabric included in the kit because . . . it was not to my taste and didn’t complement the stitching colors at all. (It was a rather garish fall leaves pattern.) I subbed my own fabric for the lining, used the green gingham that came with the kit for the casing (it was not cut to the proper dimensions, but there you go), and I went completely on-my-own for the “tabs” I made for the drawstrings. (There was no fabric included in the kit for the “tulips.”) I used selvedge edges from my lining fabric to make “tabs” for my drawstrings. (A bit “bespoke” looking but it worked for me.)
The kit instructions were . . . fine. They were overly complicated considering the basic bag construction (too many words, not enough clear illustrations). I’m an experienced sewist, so I was able to put the bag together without any problems, but if I were a beginning sewist, I’d have been scratching my head and hoping for the best. The “tulip” instructions were very confusing, and I just decided to skip that altogether.
This is all sounding a bit . . . complain-y . . . about this kit, and . . . yeah. I guess it is. I really like the overall finished product, but that’s my own doing. The preprinted fabric for the front/back of the bag was cheap muslin, the included lining fabric was garish and didn’t “go” with the stitching, the included fabrics were all cut to the wrong measurements, and the Sashiko thread colors were nothing like what was pictured in the product description. I did love the One-Of-a-Kind label that was included in the kit, though, and the bright drawstring cord was a nice touch.
Despite my issues with the kit, the bag turned out nicely, and it will make an excellent project bag.