Sashiko patterns / Kikko (Tortoiseshell)
Kikko (tortoiseshell) sashiko pattern
Kikko is a honeycomb of hexagons named after the plates of a tortoise shell. It is all straight lines with only three lines at each corner, which makes it a friendly first sashiko pattern. Print the template at 100%, trace it, and stitch the zigzag rows first, then the short vertical lines.
- Beginner
- Panel 18 × 18 cm
- Stitches 3 mm, gaps 1.5 mm
Download the free template
Every size fills the same 18 cm square; the number is the hexagon side. Smaller is denser and takes longer.
- 8 mmFine ~1,155 stitches · ~5 m thread · 2–4 h US Letter A4
- 12 mmClassic Recommended · ~766 stitches · ~4 m thread · 1.5–2.5 h US Letter A4
- 16 mmBold ~437 stitches · ~3 m thread · 0.5–1.5 h US Letter A4
Print at "Actual size" (100%), never "Fit to page", then check that the scale bar on the sheet measures 5 cm. Stitch and thread counts are estimates for the whole 18 cm panel (thread includes the back of the work and 15% for knots). Hours assume 5 to 10 stitches a minute. Page 2 of each PDF has the stitching order.
What you need
- Fabric: a 25 cm (10 in) square of medium-weight cotton or linen with a soft, even weave. That is the 18 cm panel plus room to hold it.
- Thread: about 4 m of sashiko thread at the recommended size, used as a single strand (check the length on your skein). Perle cotton no. 8 works too.
- Needle: a sashiko needle (long, with a large eye), or a long darning needle.
- Marker: a water-soluble fabric pen or a chalk pencil for tracing. Test it on a scrap first.
- Optional: a thimble. Sashiko is usually stitched in the hand, without a hoop, so the needle can take several stitches at once.
Time: about 1.5 to 2.5 hours for the whole panel at 12 mm, our estimate at 5 to 10 stitches a minute. A smaller piece takes less.
How to stitch it
New to sashiko? The running stitch guide shows how to load several stitches on the needle, the way sashiko is sewn, and how to start and finish a thread. Leave a little slack where the thread turns at the end of a row, so the fabric does not pucker.
- Trace the template onto your fabric with a light box or a sunny window and a fabric marker. On dark fabric such as indigo the lines won't show through: use white dressmaker's carbon paper instead.
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Stitch each zigzag row across the piece (the top and bottom edges of the hexagons).
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Stitch the short vertical sides, column by column.
- Keep every crossing point open: stop short of the point where lines meet, as the template shows, and start again just past it.
Bright: the stitches for this step. Faded: stitches already done. Dashed: lines still to stitch.
About this pattern
The tortoise stands for long life, so kikko carries wishes for longevity, prosperity and stability.
Because only three lines meet at each corner, kikko forgives small mistakes: the gaps at the corners stay visible even if a stitch runs a little long.
The 8 mm size makes a fine all-over texture for mending; 12 mm is the classic look; 16 mm is quick and bold.
Questions
- Is kikko good for a first sashiko project?
- Yes. It uses only straight lines, and the corners are easy to keep open.
- Can I use kikko for visible mending?
- Yes. Use the 8 mm size over a patch; the dense hexagons hold the patch flat.
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