Bojagi Patchwork with Debra Wade

Learn this traditional Korean hand stitch technique for patching scraps into new cloth

Bojagi are traditional Korean wrapping cloths made by patching together fabric scraps with seams that are neat on both front & back. Often made with lightweight fabrics, the resulting cloth is crisscrossed with seams where the fabric is denser. They look particularly beautiful when lit to show the denser seams in the light cloth. 

In this workshop, Debra will demonstrate the special techniques used to handstitch the neat seams & patch together your selection of fabrics. Debra will help you to design a colour story for your piece that you’ll take away with you. You can finish your square of cloth to use as a wrapping for a gift or for snacks, or keep adding to it to make it larger. Your new cloth could be used to make anything from a bag or cushion to a garment. 

All materials & equipment are provided for this workshop. We advocate for using up scraps & upcycling materials into new things & there will be lots of fabric to choose from, but feel free to bring your own too. 

No experience of hand stitching is required, the techniques are quick to pick up. The calming rhythm of handstitching & joining pieces of cloth together is a peaceful, mindful activity. Once you have the principles, you may never want to stop.

Debra Wade is a designer-maker who creates to commission in re-claimed materials & whose award-winning work is in magazines, international textile fairs & on TV. Currently a Stitch Festival tutor at Alexandra Palace & Islington Design Centre, she loves to share her skills in many textile crafts, art, and re-claimed jewellery. Debra recently led a community project to create 100 giant remembrance poppies by re-using footballs, old records, frying pans, knitting, bottles, plant pots, hub caps, vinyl flooring & more.

Saturday 7th May

£40