Create a Memory Quilt from a Photo with Japanese Inspired Boro
Workshop Fee: $700.00
Create fabric pictures—a landscape, still life, etc.–based on snapshots or sketches that you bring to class. Perhaps fall color will fire your imagination. Inspired by Japanese boro traditions, we’ll stitch the images to life in fabric. Boro is the artful Japanese tradition of mending by hand. Reminiscent of raw edge applique, boro mostly relies on simple running stitches and sashiko thread to create patterns that can become elegant and complex. Boro or “country sashiko” often involves densely and energetically stitched layers of fabric.
This class includes lots of supportive information on simplifying photos or sketches into usable patterns that are adaptable to quilting with the help of photocopies, tracing paper and other basic tools. After learning boro essentials, you can opt to practice the techniques by making an all-in-one cell phone case/wallet, before applying the stitches to your picture.
Fabrics can be commercial and/or hand-dyed. After fabrics are chosen, we’ll use boro hand stitching to sew fabrics directly to batting and backing, creating the quilt. Little or no fusible webbing is needed. Though the class focus is on hand stitching, sewing by machine is an option.
The workshop will include an overview of boro, past and present, as well as a look at landscape quilts old and new. All levels welcome.
Skills and Techniques:
- Creating a Picture Quilt
- Choosing a suitable image and adjusting it for use with fabric
- Basic picture composition: shape, color, balance, focal points, etc.
- Choosing fabrics to simulate the elements in your picture
- Boro stitching techniques
- Quilting fabrics directly to batting and backing…no basting
- (Optional) Stitch an all-in-one cell phone case/wallet
Materials Fee: $15 – $25 paid directly to the instructor
Special Tools or Equipment:
Your Photo or Sketch
Pick a couple of favorite snapshots or sketches you already have, or, as an optional exercise, experiment with possibilities by using the list below as photo options. Note: Images with high contrast are easiest to work with.
– Put a maximum of 8 objects on a table, creating a still-life
– A View out a window
– A Corner of a room
– A View down a street
– A Landscape looking into the distance (ocean, river, fields, mountains, whatever)
– A landscape with objects closer to you (a backyard, enclosed garden, etc.
Print out or photocopy the original image in color and bring it to class. Ideally, photos should be taken by you or your family. The goal is to have a subject you’ve seen with your own eyes. Do not bring a postcard or other professional photograph, which creates copyright issues.
Enlarge 2 of your favorites in black and white, or color, minimally to 11” x 17” or larger, perhaps not more than 24” in any direction. Bring two copies of each to class.
Fabric
-maybe commercial and/ or hand-dyed)
-fabrics must be suitable for hand sewing since we’ll be needling through layers
-bring one piece or more large enough to serve as a backing to your quilt (eg. quilting cotton)
-for an all-in-one cell phone/wallet: a piece of foundation fabric and lining, each about 10 X 15 inches
-fabric scraps: a variety of sizes, solids, and patterns Think about your chosen image. Do parts of your image require bigger fabric pieces? e.g. sky? what colors might be needed? Generally AVOID photo printed commercial fabrics (i.e. clouds, grasses) unless you have some on hand and love them. They can be the least interesting and we’ll look for other solutions.
(A good thing about classes is sharing fabric. Someone will always have what you need and will be generous in sharing.)
Other Supplies
thimble (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, Clover Protect and Grip)
fine point Sharpie or other very black smooth writing pen
a mechanical pencil with soft leads AND an eraser
a ruler
portable light box for tracing (if you have one. I’ll bring one to share)
straight pins
scissors for fabric and cutting thread
Optional: A notebook or sketchbook
Workshop Policies: Please be sure to read our 2025 policies before you register for a workshop which can be found here Workshop Policies
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