Boro inspired mending - Classroom based

Romor Designs - vintage Boro quilt - Classroom teaching banner Square.jpg

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What will I learn?

In this class you will learn about how Boro was made in Japan and a variety of techniques to mend your clothes in the style of Boro.

Boro (more accurately ‘Boro boro’), meaning ‘rags or tatters’ is the art of repairing fabric using scraps and stitching. A source of shame in Japan for many years, the fabrics are now highly prized and can fetch significant sums. Boro work follows the British wartime tradition of ‘make do and mend’ but was used out of necessity in Japan to prolong the life of clothes and bedding due to extreme poverty and the scarcity of textiles.

Your tutor's work was featured on the semi-final of the Great British Sewing Bee in 2022 and he regularly visits Japan to travel, refresh his skills and purchase authentic vintage Japanese textiles to show in his classes.

Content:

The history and origins of Boro. Examples of vintage Boro and other Japanese textiles collected by the tutor in Japan will be shown

How to repair a garment using scraps, both modern and vintage
How to use sashiko stitching to enhance your work
Practice using visible repair to enhance and strengthen textiles
Applique and reverse applique and a number of decorative stitching techniques will be shown
A variety of types of Japanese stitches and their application will be presented, with examples on vintage Boro and the tutor’s own work
- Nami-nui - running stitch
- Hongasesi-nui - backstitch
- Mimi-guke - edge stitch
- Maki-nui - whip stitch
- Chidori-gake - Herringbone stitch
- Hashigomatsuri - Ladder / slipstitch

Who is this class for?: Beginner / looking for an introduction to Japanese mending in the style of Boro

Duration: 2.5 hours

Location: This class is available at the Artist’s studio in Muswell Hill and at Fabrications on Broadway market in Hackney.

What do I need to provide myself?

An item of clothing to repair (denim or heavy cotton/linen are best). Woollen, towelling and fine fabrics such as silk are not suitable for this class. The mending techniques taught lend themselves best to denim, cotton and linen fabrics.

Fabric to patch with, a sashiko needle, and a skein of sashiko thread (in a choice of colours) are provided and are yours to keep after the class.

All tools and equipment needed to take the class will be available for use.