I looked at one of those Babylock Sashiko machines - it does an incredible stitch - but the price sent me into cardiac arrest - it was $1900.00 - it only does the one stitch but you can lengthen the stitch and change how many stitches per inch. Its very cool but very pricey.

Thank you all for the great info but this machine is much more than my wallet can stand but it is a wonderful machine.
glenn

I too am wondering how the test came out.

Do a search on the board for mock sashiko. Several people have posted pictures of some of the results. It can look pretty good. My picture is not very good, but in person, it looks a bit hand stitched.

Nancy's Notions has a video on you tube demoing the baby lock Sashiko machine. It only does top stitching!

I'll be watching......

Babylock sashiko...I have one and really like it.

I tried this technique in a Bernina class several years ago and it seemed to work ok. You have to sew from the back. The invisible thread pulls the top thread to the back but leaves invisible space in between, giving the illusion of hand quilting stitches. I wasn't all that impressed though. Something about having poly thread on a piece that was supposed to look 'old fashion' just didn't sit right with me. The look was interesting though, and I saved that little sample piece somewhere thinking that I might want to use the technique on something...

My Janome 10000(1) will make a stitch that looks like hand quilting on top and machine stitching on the back with the proper settings. Have used it, but not a lot.

The Baby Lock Sashiko machine does this stitch. It forms a chain stitch on the back. I have had a little play with it and like it but it costs about $2,700.00 in this country. I don't know that I want to pay that much for one stitch. Can't really afford it either. Perhaps you will get a better price in your neck of the woods.