Introduction to Sashiko Mending (part of Doing Together 2023)
Introduction to Sashiko Mending
Workshop with Katie Friedlander-Boss as part of doing together 2023
Tuesday 4 April 2023
doing together is a yearly two-day making and sharing practice symposium at Locksbrook Campus, hosted by Bath Spa University’s Centre of Cultural and Creative Industries and Art Research Centre. Workshops, delivered by staff and PGR students from across the University, share practice-based research methods and a broad range of approaches to practice. doing together is proposed as a generous space to make/do/share and discuss practice with colleagues from a range of different Schools. Throughout the symposium, facilitators - alongside participants - test out ways of doing together in an effort to make their practice-based research explicit, rather than simply describe it.
Sashiko means “little point”. It is a technique that has been used in Japan for centuries as a way of repairing and reinforcing clothing and fabric. The beauty of Sashiko is the simplicity of the stitch as it is just a simple running stitch. This workshop will introduce you to the technique which will allow you to breathe new life into worn and torn clothing and fabrics.
This technique is particularly good for heavy fabrics like denim as the density of the stitching creates a strength while the intricacy of the stitches creates a tiny piece of art for you to enjoy.
Participants were encouraged to bring items they wanted to mend, and denim patches were provided to work on.