verb \ˈmend\
: to make (something broken or damaged) usable again : to repair (something broken or damaged)
Sashiko (literally "little stabs") is a form of decorative reinforcement stitching from Japan. It originally was used to reinforce points of wear or repair tears with patches creating "boro" cloth. This running stitch technique became a functional embroidery often used for purely decorative purposes. The white cotton thread on the traditional indigo blue gave Sashiko its distinctive appearance. Today though, Many contemporary embroiderers use colored threads for their projects.
If you Google the term Sashiko you can find many beautiful examples of this work. I had the pleasure of taking a little workshop on Sashiko by a local artist, Naoko Konno. In that workshop, I produced this small sample.
I find it truly amazing how such a simple stitch can do so much.
Have a fun day!
Cynthia