Japanese Rice Bags with Liz Smith

Rice bags or Komebukuro are drawstring bags used to carry rice to make offerings at temples or shrines in Japan. In this slow-stitching workshop, Liz Smith will show you how to hand stitch a rice bag from 12 squares of cloth & a cord.

All the fabrics available in this workshop are rescued - scraps, old clothing (clean), repurposed projects - pattern clashing is positively encouraged. You are very welcome to bring some of your own scraps to use, minimum size 6”/15.25cm square, plain woven cotton recommended.

Three size options will be offered in this workshop. Once you have the principle, there’s no limit to the size you can make.

Rice bags make wonderful wrappers for gifts, or gifts themselves of course, or project bags to carry knitting or crochet.

No previous experience is needed & all equipment & materials will be provided.

Liz Smith is fascinated with the creative power in pulling thread on a needle. Convinced that making something for yourself is a skill & a thrill for everyone to enjoy, she has made a career out of sharing her skills. Liz works as a textile artist, freelance costume maker & runs a variety of workshops. She uses her fabric remnants to make & sell unique textile pieces, raising money for charitable causes at garden events where the cake is as important as the makes.