Wabi Sabi | The Art of Japanese Stitching & Watercolor, September 12th, 2026
- Live Workshop
Join local artist and educator Chelsey Byrd Lewallen for a day of making.
September 12th, 2026 | 10am - 4pm
Gathering together to make and mend can be profoundly healing and inspiring. Repairing accidents, tears and wounds allows us to follow the Japanese philosophy of "wabi-sabi," or finding solace in what is perfectly imperfect. Reinforcing and stitching a hole can make it stronger while leaving behind an artifact of the effort that was made to maintain something beloved. Creating a hole can also allow us to be innovative and play with compelling new dimensions and ways of thinking.
For our morning session, we will begin by learning the Japanese art of Sashiko or "tiny stabs" and make a custom patch using indigo dyed fabric and cotton thread. Students will learn a brief history of the art form and the meaning behind different pattern stitch designs, as well as helpful techniques to extend the life of your own wardrobe through visible mending. In the afternoon, we will use watercolor pigments to create a painting using basic shapes and techniques to explore color. Once the painting is dry, we will embellish our work using water-based paint markers, stitch the paper using cotton embroidery floss and explore different stitch techniques.
- Learn to play with imperfect color, patterns and texture
- Find the meditative rhythm of visible mending
- Stitch your own Sashiko patch and embroidered watercolor painting
NEW CLASS TECHNIQUES WE’LL EXPLORE
- Use colors associated with significant aspects of your life to create a watercolor painting
- Add texture and additional mediums to your art
- Learn the Japanese art of Sashiko visible mending
WHAT IS INCLUDED
- 1 day guided instruction in the Bee House Studio, with free time to explore and be inspired in nature.
- Most required class materials will be provided. An additional materials list will be sent prior to class.
- Gourmet farm-to-table lunch and snacks provided
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
Saturday
- Morning Workshops
- Plated lunch & snacks
- Afternoon Workshops
- Share your work!
THE ARTIST
Chelsey Byrd Lewallen
Chelsey Byrd Lewallen grew up in the mountains of Fraser, CO and has called Moscow, ID home for the last 16 years where she is a senior instructor in the Apparel, Textile and Design Program at the University of Idaho. She is a sewist, artist, musician, entrepreneur, and teacher dedicated to helping make clothing fit beautifully while keeping textile goods out of landfills.
Her specialties include textile surface design, digital illustration, visible mending/ repairs and clothing alterations. In 2024 she released her first book Clothing Alterations and Repairs: Maintaining a Sustainable Wardrobe. When she isn’t knitting, painting, sewing, dyeing, or learning a new art form, she sings and plays keyboard in her band The Chelseas.
