Boro is a Japanese word meaning “broken” and has now become known as Boro cloth or fabric, an aesthetic that is based on fabric or garments that have been heavily used, tattered and repaired using darning techniques such as sashiko. Boro cloth has a sense of humility and an understated eloquence in that each piece becomes its own patchwork landscape.

In this course, students will review a brief history of Boro and discuss how Boro has inspired many movement such as mindfulness, sustainability and visible mending.

Students will create their own 11” x 17” Boro piece of cloth using vintage and traditional Japanese fabrics (brought by instructor) or their own precious fabrics. Students will learn a combination of running stitch and traditional sashiko stitch to repurpose your precious fabric scraps into a modern Boro piece. Students are welcome to bring their own fabrics, garments, or textiles.