Sashiko is a traditional stitching technique that was developed in the countryside of Japan, where textiles and supplies were limited and repurposing fabric was common practice. Families reinforced fabric by stitching layers to mend holes and tears. Those stitching techniques eventually started to take on aspects of embroidery, and sashiko became a unique craft for its combination of utility and decoration.

In this master class, six students will practice a basic sashiko technique to stitch traditional asanoha (hemp lead) patterns. The workshop comes with a complete kit of sashiko needles, a sashiko thimble, a skein of white sashiko thread, and fabric.