Boro and Beyond: The Versatile Running Stitch Part 1

Julie B Booth: Pattern Darning Sampler

I can't believe that it's been 3 weeks since my last post. I've been busy! Finishing up the Hand Stitching class (a blog post coming soon) and prepping and teaching a new workshop called Boro and Beyond: The Versatile Running Stitch.

I have so many great samples to share by students in the Boro class, that I decided to split the work into two posts (just like we split the stitching into two days!). The workshop was held at Artistic Artifacts...the  perfect setting for stitching and a wondrous shop loaded with temptations (that we all succumbed to!). I immediately had to purchase 2 skeins of the sari silk "yarn"...really strips of sari silk stitched together in a continuous length...perfect for some of the techniques (as you'll soon see!).

Julie B Booth: Using Running Stitches to create forms

The idea for this class came about because one of my students was interested in a workshop on Boro. Boro is the Japanese word for "rags" and refers to the tradition of patching and mending work clothing in rural Japan during the 17th to 19th (and some info says into the early 20th) centuries. Textiles were indigo dyed and stitched with layers of Running Stitch.

As I began to explore Boro, I came to the realization that the Running Stitch is a stitch found in just about every culture. So...that gave me the idea to really explore this versatile stitch and a number of different things you can do with it in a series of samplers.

Julie B Booth: Thick and thin; short and long stitches.

On Day #1 we explored line and pattern. We started with a list of adjectives describing different types of line. Students were asked to interpret some of the adjectives.

Alice A: Undulating and spiral lines

Ann Z.: Feathery lines

Kate G.L Radiating lines.

Peggy G.: Assorted lines.

Then we jumped to pattern and specifically two types of patterning traditions using the running stitch: Sashiko and Pattern Darning.

Julie B Booth: Sashiko sampler.

Barbara C.: Sashiko, Pattern Darning and lacing stitches.

Judy G.: Pattern Darning

Kate G.: Sashiko, Pattern Darning and lacing stitches.

Gloria W.: Stitch and pattern sampler.

Kathy F.: Sashiko and Pattern Darning.

Linda M. Sashiko and lacing.

Linda M.: Pattern Darning, Sashiko and lacing

Peggy G.: Sashiko and Pattern Darning.

Roxana F.: Pattern sampler.

We also did some lacing and wrapping over rows of Running Stitches.

Julie B Booth: Lacing sampler

Ann Z: Lacing.

Judy G.: Lacing.

Peggy G.: Lacing.

For homework, I asked students to create three bases for more stitching experiments. I'll show you those in the next post. If you are local and are interested in taking this workshop, I'll be teaching it again at Artistic Artifacts on January 21 and 22, 2017.