Sashiko & Shibori - Sept 26 & 27

Wabi Sabi Sashiko for Beginners (Day 1)

Sashiko embroidery is a Japanese textile mending and reinforcing technique involving a simple running stitch that creates beautiful yet practical embellishments used to mend clothes while also adding meaning and mindfulness to our work. In this class we will discuss the materials and tools, what needles and thread work best, how to transfer designs to your fabric and practice how to achieve the perfect stitch length.

If you wish, bring a garment that needs mending to apply your new skills. Taking the time to mend is a beautiful way of connecting with a garment or textiles. Each repair is a creative challenge, a chance for the sewer to express themselves whilst providing time for contemplation and mindfulness.

Embrace the concept of ‘wabi sabi’, beauty in an object’s impermanence and imperfection, making a feature of the repair is the art of visible mending. Mistakes and wonky stitches are embraced – it’s the perfect project for all levels.

Sashiko : Advanced (Day 2)

Despite its seeming simplicity, Sashiko embroidery can be deceptively complex.

Once you have mastered running stitch, and wrapped your head around the basics of sewing the sashiko pattern, we will explore Hitomezashi designs. Worked on a grid of straight lines, we begin with the basics of yokogushi (horizontal rows) then move into more complex geometric designs: rice stitch, coin stitch, persimmon flower stitch and threaded stitched patterns. The end result is a sampler of rich designs, the knowledge of which can be applied to mend or embellish clothes.

$200 for the two day workshop or $100 per day. + HST.

Included in the price: fabric, sashiko threads and needles, fabric marking pens, contained within a cloth bag.

To register, please go to   https://zenstitching.ca/workshop/sashiko-tatamagouche