Before starting on this project, it is essential to gather all the necessary materials. The key materials required for this project include a plain fabric, embroidery threads in various colours, embroidery needles, fabric marking pen, scissors, and the design template or a willingness to create your own designs. Some fabric scraps are wonderful as well.

Materials & Tools Needed:

Natural fabric:

• such as linen, cotton or hemp. Something that is suitable to embroider onto - so not too heavy and weighty, and not too light
• outside of bag requires 5 squares 25cm x 25cm / 10" x 10". I have used plain white linen for the 4 sides, and a patterned cotton (darker) for the bottom.
• lining is 5 squares same size - these can be a linen or cotton
• quilt wadding, flannelette or an old (light-weight) blanket. 5 pieces same size as your outside fabric. This gives stability to your bag, as well as helps give the embroidery a lovely 'puff'
• scraps for the slow stitching project - you'll determine this once you start working.
• 12 x pieces of ribbon (3cm x 7.5cm / 1 1/4" x 3") or fabric scraps (6cm x 7.5cm / 2 1/2" x 3") approx - no need to be exact with this
• long fabric scraps to make the string, approx 3-5cm / 1 1/4- 2"

Threads:

I love using a combination of different threads for my stitching. You can read my blog post here for some ideas, but I suggest you try what you have. Here's some suggestions:

• Sashiko thread in different weights
• Traditional embroidery thread (DMC or similar)
• Perle 8 or 12 cotton
• Fine crochet cotton
• linen thread
• regular sewing machine thread

Other tools:

• Embroidery needles - it's best to use something sharp and fine, as well as traditional Sashiko needles. Your thread must easily go through the eye of the needle, and the needle smoothly through your fabric. I like Olympus Sashiko needles as well as Clover Embroidery needles in sizes 3-9
• Fabric marking pen
• Scissors - for fabric and thread snipping

The project in the videos shown makes a bag that is approx 22cm cube, but I encourage you to create something your desired size, using the same process.