In the Edo period of early 17th century Japan, clothing had to be handwoven. It was common for the lower and working classes, especially the farmers in the northern reaches to try to save their clothing for as long as possible. Boro, the process of mending & patching textiles allowed these work clothes to be salvaged and extend their use. Sashiko, literally ‘little stabs’, is an embroidery technique that was used to apply the patches and strengthen the garment. In this talk, we'll learn more about the history and see examples of both historical and modern uses of these techniques.