Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn sashiko, Japanese stitching for visible mending
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Sashiko is a Japanese running stitch, worked through layers of cloth in geometric patterns, that began as a way to strengthen and patch worn clothing where cloth was scarce. It needs only a needle, thread and fabric, and the same stitch that makes a sampler will mend a pair of jeans.
GentleUnder £100 / $130A few weeksIndoorsAlone or with othersUK and US
Sashiko and boro
Sashiko means rows of running stitches sewn through layers of fabric, used to reinforce worn areas and quilt cloth together. NPR traces it to Japan's rural and coastal regions, where cloth was scarce, and describes the classic look as white thread on indigo fabric.
Boro, from the Japanese word for tattered or repaired, is the wider habit of patching and piecing old cloth to keep it in use. The V&A explains that boro garments were handed down through poor rural families in the 19th and early 20th centuries and are now treated as art.
A beginners' class usually covers some history, how to mark a pattern on the fabric, and choosing thread. Textile Arts Los Angeles teaches the hitomezashi pattern in its beginner session and saves mending your own clothes for a follow-on class.
Ways in
| Provider | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| City Lit, London (online) | Japanese Boro and Sashiko stitch: three evening sessions on Zoom; beginners welcome | £149, or £119 senior and £97 concession |
| Surrey Adult Learning, Guildford | Sashiko & Boro Workshop: one day, open to all abilities (June 2025 run, now past) | £59 |
| Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles | Practical Cloth Making: two days of boro and sashiko, all skill levels, materials kit included (January 2025 run, now past) | $135, or $108 for members |
| Textile Arts Los Angeles | Sashiko Mending with Sanae Suzuki: sessions of about 2 hours 45 minutes | $104.50 (the page does not say whether this is per session) |
City Lit's online course asks you to have sashiko or embroidery needles, sashiko thread, stranded cotton, plain cotton fabric, fabric scraps, carbon paper and a ruler ready for the first session.
How to start
- Book a beginners' sashiko or boro workshop at an adult education centre, a textile centre or a museum.
- Gather the basics on the kit list your course gives, usually sashiko or embroidery needles, sashiko thread, plain woven cotton, a chalk pencil and small scissors.
- Practise a simple pattern on a sampler first, then try it on a worn garment of your own.
Where to go
- City Lit: Textiles: Japanese Boro and Sashiko stitch (online) UK
- Surrey Adult Learning: Sashiko & Boro Workshop (Guildford) UK
- Textile Arts Los Angeles: Sashiko Mending with Sanae Suzuki US
- Japanese American National Museum: Practical Cloth Making workshop (Los Angeles) US
We opened these links on 12 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
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Plan it with dates
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between sashiko and boro?
Sashiko is the running stitch worked through layers of cloth; boro is the practice of patching and piecing worn textiles to keep them in use, often held together with sashiko.
Do I need sewing experience to learn sashiko?
No. City Lit teaches it at an introductory level, and the Surrey and Los Angeles museum workshops were open to all abilities.
What thread do you use for sashiko?
Sashiko thread is usual, but Surrey's workshop also accepted stranded cotton, perle cotton or coton à broder in white, cream or red.
Can I learn sashiko online?
Yes. City Lit runs its sashiko and boro course live on Zoom over three evenings.
Where this comes from: V&A, Make your own: Japanese 'Boro' bag; NPR, The 'visible mending' trend of fixing clothes can be traced to a Japanese tradition; City Lit, Textiles: Japanese Boro and Sashiko stitch; Surrey County Council, Sewing - Hand Embroidery - Sashiko & Boro Workshop; Japanese American National Museum, Two Day Workshop: Practical Cloth Making; Textile Arts Los Angeles, Sashiko Mending with Sanae Suzuki. Opened 12 November 2026.
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