Learning on Your Time

Written By Kippian Inglis

With the recent changes with my studio space, business model, and sponsoring an annual also made me rethink how to offer classes.  It’s been a struggle to schedule a class, have people interested, but unable to work with set dates and times. I thought back to what worked when I was in the quilt show biz.  One of the wonders that has continued in that business over the past 20 plus years is the Block of the Month “club” – it’s still popular.  You pay to receive 10-12 monthly project packs, do the work on your own time frame during each month and after however many months are involved, you have all the blocks ready to put together into a finished quilt. 

I’m offering both a Sashiko subscription and an Indigo & Shibori subscription class in a similar way.  Each class offers an introduction so the student can see examples, tools and supplies being used and a short presentation before they decide to take the class which then consists of a set number of work sessions based on mutually agreed-upon dates.  It gives all of us the ability to be a little more fluid with our available time for each of us. 

Classes
Shibori Class
Shibori Class

The term shibori is Japanese meaning “to squeeze”.  It is a set of techniques for patterning fabric along with dyeing.  One can use a needle and thread to stitch a design, pulling the threads tightly to compress (squeeze) the fabric to prevent the dye from getting into some areas.  One can also use folding, bunching, adding resists such as wax, mud, or precut solid shapes to also prevent dye from getting into all areas (resisting the dye).  The patterning can be simple to complex and can be used with natural dyes as well as chemical dyes (although there is a different effect).  We will be using indigo unless you are versed in other dyes.  There are four basic shibori categories and you will make samples from each category.

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Sashiko & Boro
Sashiko & Boro

Boro is a style of mending that is attributed to Japanese culture.  It was a way to preserve and improve heavy duty work clothes by adding additional fabric over worn, torn, or weak fabric and reinforcing the strength with abundant, but informal stitching.  Sashiko is boro but elevated in design and use to be mostly decorative.  Boro mending is on trend, and is now done by top designers, not to reinforce the utility of a garment, but as a design element.  In this workshop, you will learn this basic stitching, have access to various stencils of sashiko designs from simple to complex for tracing and use, books for reference, and samples for inspiration and tools to help.

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So far, it’s been great!  I plan on offering these on a rotating basis, probably 6 to 8 weeks apart.  The next set will be available once we have the studio back in order. Click the link below to learn more about my class opportunities.

Class Subscription Information

I’m teaching again at The Clearing, the first week of August, but only an indigo and shibori class this year.  Enrollment is already open.

The Clearing Class Information
Kippian Inglis
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The Start of “Art in the Wyoming Valley”
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Reimagining my Studio Space