Early 18th Century Japanese wives of farmers, fishermen and lumberjacks made warm garments for their men by stitching two pieces of heavy fabric together using fine running stitches throughout the entire garment. This technique inspired a jacquard called Sashiko, for which the color palette has been expanded beyond the traditional indigo colors to include bright oranges and turquoises, as well as hot pinks and more subdued combos of naturals and darks. A wonderful upholstery and decorative fabric that recalls an ancient craft, Sashiko was the recipient of the Good Design Award from The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design in 2002.