Megumi Aso – New Kantha for Beginners (Japanese Book)

*This book is written in Japanese.

Published: March 6, 2026
Author: Megumi Aso
ISBN: 978-4-579-11876-2

Kantha is a technique of layering well-loved fabrics and drawing patterns with nothing but running stitches, one stitch at a time.
This needlework tradition, passed down among women in India to give old cloth new life, is drawing growing attention.
This introductory book carefully explains everything from preparing the fabric to a variety of stitches.

Many people have been moved by Mari Mochizuki’s kantha, yet never imagined they could stitch it themselves. This book is the first step to doing just that – there has never been such a thorough guide before.

Rika recommends stitching kantha with 2 strands of NONA Fine Thread. It glides smoothly, and with so many subtle colors to choose from, it’s easy to match both the embroidery and the background stitching to the fabric you have – opening up the world of natural dyes.

About the Author
Megumi Aso
Leader of “Mari Mochizuki and Friends”

Born the eldest daughter of craft artist Mari Mochizuki (1926–2023). After six years in the UK, where she earned a diploma in garden design from an art school in London, she worked as a garden designer in Japan while supporting Mari Mochizuki’s kantha work and classes. Today she carries on Mochizuki’s kantha while creating pieces with free use of color and design suited to modern life, and teaches classes and workshops. She supervised Mari Mochizuki’s “Kantha Embroidery: Motifs and Techniques” (Seibundo Shinkosha, 2021).

Instagram: @kantha_mari_nakama