Book, Mending with Sashiko, Takao Momiyama and Kerstin Neumüller English

Learn Sashiko, the timeless Japanese form of decorative mending, to repair clothes, bedding, and more.

The Japanese art of Sashiko is both a practical and joyful method of decorative repair. It is a hand-stitching technique with a long and colorful history, built on simple stitches that anyone can learn, regardless of skill level. This book contains both simple and advanced patterns, suitable for beginners and those already familiar with this timeless craft.

Sashiko is used to repair and decorate clothes, bedspreads, tablecloths – almost any type of textile you can imagine. It is a functional and decorative way to give new life to worn or damaged textiles. In Mending with Sashiko, you will learn to sew with various techniques such as hitomezashi, moyozashi, and koginsashi, and which techniques are best suited for different materials. The book provides concrete instructions on how to mend jeans, shirts, socks, and more, as well as how to apply your new skills to larger projects like patchwork quilts.

Takao “Momi” Momiyama is a renowned artist and Sashiko practitioner, and in Mending with Sashiko, you are invited into his workshop, where he shares his best tips and techniques for successful sewing. You get to delve into Momi's archive and examine garments he has repaired with Sashiko again and again over the years – in some cases for up to 40 years. You can observe how this continuous cycle of use, wear, and repair affects clothes in a way we rarely see in today's throwaway culture, and experience how repairing with Sashiko – whether simple and functional or with more detailed embroidery patterns – transforms your clothes into unique and sustainable garments for life.

About the author:
Takao “Momi” Momiyama has received significant attention for his work with Sashiko, which has been exhibited in a number of renowned venues, including Sweden's Vandalorum and Fiber Space Gallery, as well as the Design Museum in Helsinki. He keeps a daily Sashiko diary that he shares on his popular Instagram account @momiyamatakao with his 55,000 followers. Mending with Sashiko is Momi's debut book. He lives in Sweden.

Published: 2026

Number of pages: 144

Hardcover