For this 2-part workshop, we will utilize reclaimed fabrics to create a one-of-a-kind drawstring bag whose design originates from the Japanese Komebukuro, a bag that traditionally served as a vessel to carry offerings to temples & local festivals or to store special keepsakes. These bags have often been made from the salvaged scraps of textiles that were saved & valued until they could no longer be utilized. I encourage everyone to repurpose materials from home, otherwise Turnip Green Creative Reuse will provide all materials for this workshop:) 

This project is inspired by a cultural intersection of methods from the past that we will apply to a contemporary reuse craft. With a reverence for cloth & mindful consumption of materials, we will be creating a modern take on the timeless concept of prolonging a material’s lifespan through an inventive curiosity for reimagining materials toward a fresh purpose. 

For the Komebukuro, we will be compiling 5 different square panels that will later make up the 5 exterior faces of the bag (4 walls & a bottom). The bag will also have a lining, 4 loops, & a drawstring for cinching closed.
For the exterior surface design of the bag, we will be learning the “Stitch & Slash Chenille” method. This involves a process of layering up fabrics and cutting the layers between stitched channels. The cut edges are then frayed to create a fluffy, velvet-like surface texture with contrasting colors exposed between the layers. This will be an introduction to the basic process that will then lend itself to an array of artistic variations.

My favorite use for a Komebukuro is for containing gifts for a friend. This eliminates the need for single-use wrapping paper or packaging that will ultimately be thrown away. The Komebukuro becomes a wrapping and a gift itself:) A rustic version made from plastic bags could be crafted for vegetable harvesting with no worry about a bit of mud. 

This 2-part hands-on workshop is appropriate for both the skilled seamstress and the complete beginner new to sewing. Participants will complete the workshop with a finished object that is functional, simple in design, & adorned in their own unique handwork and choice of color palette. Participants will leave equipped with a new set of skills & techniques that can be carried on to a range of other applications.

LOCATION:: This workshop will take place at Turnip Green Creative Reuse located at 1014 3rd Ave. S, Nashville, TN 37210

TICKETS for the event can be purchased through TGCR’s Eventbrite.

Your participation supports Turnip Green Creative Reuse and the teaching artist Janelle Costello so that we each can continue to convert discarded materials into functional art objects and provide supplies and learning opportunities to local artist.

Turnip Green Creative Reuse is a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit organization with a mission to foster creativity & sustainability by diverting materials from the landfill and connecting them with people who need them such as teachers, students, artists, and more.

MATERIALS:: Unless you have woven fabric from home you’d like to use and a preferred pair of fabric scissors, Turnip Green will supply all materials needed for the event.