I love any book that will teach me something new but this one was something special! I enjoyed learning more about the cultural aspects of this specific type of embroidery and recommend it to anyone who is into stitching. You can never know too much about a topic like this!

I loved the look of this book from the start- gorgeous pictures of cute projects that look perfect for some slow hand stitching. I’m familiar with sashiko but not with kogin so I appreciated the layout, with clear information about fabric, notions and tools needed. I also liked the staging of the projects, to lead the reader from simpler to more complex projects. It is difficult to offer an opinion on the patterns/templates in a PDF version but I thought they looked clear enough. I’m planning on buying a copy and getting started on Christmas presents!

I had seen kogin style embroidery before but didn’t realize it was a distinct style, a subsection of embroidery that originated in Northern Japan in the 1600s. I assumed this was a super complicated style so I never looked into it to try. This book shows that the patterns are quite simple, just repetitive and potentially labour intensive.
The photographs are lovely. The instructions are clear and concise. But it seems they are designed for right-handed people as they want you to stitch right to left. As a leftie, I stitch left to right. I look forward to trying a project or two, even if my wrong side won’t look as good at theirs.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kogin is a Japanese embroidery style, traditionally used to strengthen worn fabric and decoration. It looks complex and difficult, but this book explains the methods in a simple way. I think this book could be organized better, pattern/instructions and finished projects together instead of putting them at the very back. Other than that, some of these projects look amazing and I would love to try them sometime.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Although I teach adult art and craft classes at my library, I was not familiar with the term “kogin”, so my curiosity was piqued by this title and the colorful cover image. There is only a perfunctory definition of the term in this book, however, and I found myself wanting more detail. The book instead focuses on patterns and uses that are described as modern versions of the technique. There are a wide variety of patterns, and there is plenty of detail about getting started and what supplies will be needed. Even the total novice should be able to jump in and successfully complete one of the small, simple patterns. This book will make a unique addition to my public library’s embroidery collection.

This is a beautifully presented book divided into 24 projects from coins purses and pin cushions to samplers and placemats and each project has a corresponding kogin charts and step by step instructions.
Whilst I'd heard of sashiko I hadn't heard of kogin. I was expecting a bit more on the fabric reparing side of kogin, but it's still an information packed book. It gives clear, step by step photos to show what materials you need and how to stitch your kogin projects.
I would have preferred the finished project photographs to be with the instructions for each project, rather than all the project photos and then all the instructions together. I only had an electronic copy of the book, a physical book might make this less of an issue.
It might be that I'm not used to reading kogin charts and this is just how they are always presented, but, as a beginner, having the stitch lines a different colour to the grid lines would help decode the charts.
Overall, this is a great book to get you started with kogin embroidery and there are plenty of pretty and uesful projects to keep you busy.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this title.

Kogin is such an amazing form of embroidery. It's complex and laborious, but this book gives a simpler approach with a modern twist.

The book is divided into 24 projects. The first chapters present the final projects through colorful photographies, and then we have the tools and materials needed as the explanation of the process of this traditional art. At the end you can find a detailed explanation for each project along with its own chart.

I think I will be able to give a more thorough review once I make one of the projects/motifs. I hope it would be soon.

Thanks to Zakka Workshop and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Kogin is a form of Japanese sashiko embroidery over 400 years old, and this book helps you bring the timeless style into your life now. It takes you step by step from choosing fabric and theads straight through to making practical pieces to display and use your art. There are patterns included for buttons, pins, hair ties, coasters, ornaments and more. I can’t wait to get some fabric myself and try some of these!
The projects have a materials list, charts, finished diagrams or construction templates and full sized fabric templates when needed. Even if you choose not to follow the exact patterns, the photography is great for inspiration and the motifs seem like they could be used in different ways.

One note- the formatting/layout/charts did not carry over properly for the edition in the kindle app, but I was able to see it them using a different app. As this wouldn't be an issue when reading a hard copy, I didn't let it affect my rating of the book.
I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I'd have liked a more better and easier to understand instructions especially where pictures are concerned.

Kogin is a Japanese type of geometric embroidery used for decoration and to strengthen worn fabric. The patterns in Modern Kogin use the designs to create modern items enhanced by decorative stitching. The book was highly informative with clear directions to complete the sewing projects. As a book browser, I enjoyed the pictures of the projects, but would have preferred if the photos had been put with the patterns or after the "Getting Started" chapters. Overall, I believe this book would be a good addition to a library on the tools and techniques of Japanese needlework.

I am a recent convert to Sashiko embroidery and I wanted to ;look at other Japanese Embroidery Techniques. This book appealed to me asI already have a Kogin Book. The geometrical designs used in Kogin really appeal to my mathematical side (I am also a maths teacher).. This book has a range of brooches, purses, samplers and placemats. and certainly worth the investment.

Thank you Netgalley for a free advance copy of this book for review.

Kogin is a Japanese type of geometric sashiko embroidery and this book provides 24 projects to get you started including brooches, hair ties, pin cushions and much more.

Whilst the book has some brilliant patterns, for me it is laid out incorrectly. The images of the finished projects are all together from pages 6 to 29 but the instructions for each one is completely separate and at the back of the book. Even the tools and materials are halfway through the book along with details on how to read the patterns, and instructions themselves.

The layout lets it down as I do wish the photograph of the finished project and the steps were together. I don't want to be flicking backwards and forwards through a book to see how it should look.

I received this book from Netgalley in return for a honest review.

As a hobbyist embroiderer I was intrigued by this new-to-me style of embroidery. Kogin is a type of traditional Japanese sashiko embroidery and I was keen to try it. What I really like about this book is the great range of projects from hairclips to handbags, so you can try something smaller and simpler to start with. I’d love to build up to the trickier projects as I improve; there isn’t a guide on roughly how long each project takes, obviously everyone works at a different pace, but an indication might be useful. The instructions are clear and easy to follow.

The patterns used in the projects are very striking and I think they’re stunning. I love geometric patterns so this really appealed to me. Geometric patterns show up mistakes more clearly though so that made me extra careful with my work! The photographs of the finished projects are lovely, very stylish. The beautiful photographs of the finished projects are at the front of the book though, whereas the instructions are at the back, so there’s a fair bit of flipping back and forth, I would have put the images and instructions together, although the instructions themselves are very clear.

Modern Kogin is a great book with lots of little items to make. This Kogin book is the art of counted sashiko embroidery with a modern twist, and it is beautiful..
There are lots of small projects with good instructions and both patterns and graphs, well written and explained this is a nice book for both an experienced and beginner maker. the projects include brooches, hair ties, samplers, bags/purses, pin cushions, pot holders and many more creative, useful and pretty projects

I really liked this book and found the instructions really easy to follow, even tho I am not a beginner in stitching and embroidery. And the patterns are really beautiful in their simplicity. The symmetry and repetitiveness of the patterns make them perfect for small or larger projects.

My only critic is with the format. I am unsure if it's the digital format, but the pictures following the instructions are really small and I was not able to zoom in on them in any of my Kindles or phone. I believe for beginners this would be really frustrating.

Wonderful book about Kogin for a beginner. Kogin is a form of Japanese embroidery and has very clear, linear patterns that are great for new crafters. The book starts with a short background and then a number of beautiful project with clear detail and supply lists. The coin purse is awesome and the other projects are great as well but can also see using this to personalize larger items. Kogin was originally developed to repair fabric and can imagine using this to repair jeans and jackets for a cute look.

This book at first glance or flip through might seem like you need to know exactly what you’re doing or start somewhere else, but it does have an “instructional” part too, so keep flipping. I DO wish there was a bit more something—jazzing up of the pages and then sharpening or brightening up the stitching diagrams. It’s a nice book. Just a bit of a flow issue for me and a bit too buttoned up to maybe attract the younger crafters who likely dint know of this, but would really use it and love it, I think.

Modern Kogin is a tutorial and project guide for Kogin embroidery. Due out 1st June from Zakka Workshop, it's 112 pages and will be available in paperback format.

Kogin embroidery is a Japanese geometric surface woven embroidery, similar to huck weaving and decorative darning. This is a collection of tutorials with patterns for 24 finished projects and numerous stitching diagrams.

The projects are all pictured in color and include attractive and pretty table linens, small soft furnishings, coin purses, and accessories. All of the templates and stitch diagrams as well as construction tutorials are included. The brooches for example, are incredibly appealing and would make a gorgeous addition to hand knitted or sewn apparel or home decor whilst using up the smallest of scraps of evenweave fabric and fibres.

Really appealing book with attractive projects for an underrepresented technique. Lovely!

Five stars. Worthwhile for the fabric crafter's library. It's also very nice to see embroidery techniques outside of cross stitch getting some representation.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Thank you Net Galley. A delightful book with simple easy to do patterns. I loved it and am enjoying working with it very much. I did not like the projects given in the book but have used the motifs in my work.

I enjoyed learning about Kogin embroidery! I found this to be very helpful to a beginner who is somewhat familiar with embroidery. I thought the directions were easy to follow and the pictures were great.