Sashiko Mending Workshop

With Rachel Barclay

All Skill Levels Welcome

Materials Included

Sashiko Visible Mending, Patches & Garment Decoration

This workshop will highlight the act of mending and garment embellishment with Sashiko Japanese Embroidery. With humble beginnings in rural Japan, Sashiko’s running stitch insulated work garments for warmth and longevity. Moving into contemporary times around the globe, the bold, geometric beauty of Sashiko continues to both strengthen and decorate fabrics. Sashiko’s Geometric Patterns and Motifs are inspired by nature, architecture, and culture. Students will learn how to patch and repair a rip or hole, reinforce a worn area, and prepare their distressed textile in order to draw a Sashiko pattern of their choice.

Participants will employ the “small stabs” Sashiko stitching technique to repair or embellish their project! People may choose to simply stitch a patch with denim provided.

Bring in a couple items from home to assess for mending or decorating. Areas to repair should be no larger than four inches. Denim looks amazing with Sashiko stitching. Medium-weight, woven fabrics work well; such as cotton or linen shirts, pants, skirts or dresses. Cotton and linen home goods are also fun to mend. Please no sweaters, knits, shiny, silky, nor stretchy fabrics. Denim with a bit of Spandex is fine.

All tools and materials provided. Sashiko needles, colorful threads, patches, and take home pattern instructions.

All skill levels welcome from novice to veteran hand stitchers! Please be sure to wear your good reading glasses. Bring your own water bottle, hot beverage, and snack or lunch to sustain you while stitching! We will take a break halfway through our workshop.

Workshop Fee……………….………...$80

Member Fee..….……………………….$70/$60 (Tiered Pricing)

Card to Culture Member Fee………….$40

Student Fee (9th - 12th Grade)* ….....$25‍ ‍

*Please Note: High School students under 16 must be accompanied by an adult

‍ PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED - MUST REGISTER BY JULY 25, 2026

This program is supported, in part, by Becket Cultural Council, a local agency funded by Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Rachel Barclay Bio:

Rachel Barclay studied Textiles, Installation Sculpture, Printmaking, and Elementary Education in San Francisco and Long Beach, California. Throughout her journey as a creator, educator, and parent, she has focused on making functional sewn and embellished garments, home goods, and mixed media textile objects.

Since studying Sashiko with Jessica Marquez of Miniature Rhino and Kazue Yoshikawa of Sashiko Lab, Rachel embraced the hand-work practice as an act of mindfulness, empowerment, beauty, and sustainability. Building on her background as an artist and educator,

Rachel shares her joy of hand-stitching with all who are curious. Her teaching travels have taken her to studios, workshops, and retreats throughout the Northeast. Rachel stitches, mends, sews, reads teen fiction, forages for natural dye materials, and takes day trips to nearby cities for coffee and culture.

She works from her studio in Hartford, Connecticut with her woodworking spouse, Michael Pekovich with their two adult offspring nearby. Follow her creative process on Instagram

@rachelharrietteb or peruse her website www.rachelharriette.com