Local quilters had a special weekend with textile artist Sue Howie, who led workshops at the Tenterfield Community College rooms on the Japanese technique called Shashiko.
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Sue said Shashiko grew from humble beginnings, at a time when Japanese peasant women practised a patching technique called 'boro' which involves a stabbing stitch. Sashiko loosely translates as 'little stabs'. Over time, decorative flourishes were added using the same technique.
"In addition to established traditional designs, this art form also allows the individual to express their creativity with designs of their own," Sue said.
"I personally love how such a simple technique can offer so much freedom of expression."
She said she is keen to explore the idea of applying Australian Indigenous themes to the Sashiko method, seeing their symmetry in something rudimentary or simplistic revealing itself to be complex and infused with narrative power.