It is hot in Tokyo right now, and though I dislike the heat I love the way Japan deals with it: twinkling wind chimes to remind you of a breeze, shaved ice and cold noodles, evening street festivals, and fireworks.

The word for fireworks in Japanese is hanabi, which roughly translates to “fire flower,” and which I think is delightful.

I sashiko’d this placemat for the shop where I take classes. They asked us to create fun sashiko pieces for their summer window display, and I thought long and hard about what could represent summer in Japan. It was either unagidon (grilled eel on rice) or fireworks, and in the end I decided fireworks would look prettier rendered in thread.

Fireworks are meant to be enjoyed together with lots of oohs and aahs, so what better way to celebrate summer than to share the pattern with you!

Click here to download the free PDF pattern.

I used variegated rainbow sashiko thread for the big blasts, white for the fountain, and scraps of pink and blue for the others. I have some extra rainbow thread, so if you’re interested send me an email at sakepuppets@gmail.com and I can throw together a small, inexpensive kit.

Happy hanabi!