Learn to make a beautiful accordion book using a traditional Japanese Boro mending stitch, repurposing book pages or photographs into a piece of art.

There are no available registration dates at this time.

Note: The class will be held online using the Zoom format. Oct 1-8, 2022, 2 Saturday afternoons from 1-4pm EST.

In this workshop, students will learn to make an accordion book that uses a Japanese Boro mending stitch. What is so exciting about this structure is that you can work on the pages separately and then bind them together to make a book of any length. For example, a continuing photographic series can be added over time.

Marsha Shaw - Boro Stitching
The Japanese Boro stitch can be used to bring function and beauty to any item or clothing.

Students will learn the skills necessary to keep making these books and written instructions will be provided (The instructions are for a 3.5 x 2.5 playing card but the instructor will show you how to adjust the holes to your size pages). Students will be provided a small kit with two master sheets of collage paper to play with, or you can use your own papers or photographs.

This workshop will be done in 2 three-hour classes. On the first day, the instructor will go over tools (and alternate tools) answer questions, and show examples of books she has made with this structure. Students will begin to collage their pages. On the second day, students will have a show and tell and have a chance to talk about their thoughts about their book. At the end, we will bind our books.

Supplies: 

  • Notebooks
  • Pencil
  • Scissors 
  • Glue stick (I use Photo Glue Stick which is acid-free and permanent (use what you have)
  • Pages: 6 postcards, playing cards, (you will need some sandpaper to rough them up), ATC cards- they must all be the same size and orientation, (i.e. all landscape or all portrait).  Use card stock weight or heavier weight paper but remember you will be punching holes for sewing.
  • Bookbinders Awl, or Japanese hole punch with the smallest tip or thumb tack
  • 4 ply Waxed (or unwaxed) linen thread, embroidery thread, or Dental Floss 
  • Small Cutting Mat 
  • Small Binder Clips
  • Foam Core (optional) is an excellent surface for punching holes.
    Center Finding Ruler (Optional) or regular ruler
    Bookbinding needle or any blunt sewing needle that fits your thread. 
  • Collage material (optional)
Marsha Shaw - Japanese Boro Stitch for Bookbinding
Boro stitching allows each item you work with to tell your own story and can be added on to whenever you want it to continue.
‘Boro’ is derived from the Japanese term “boroboro”, meaning something tattered or repaired.

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Marsha Shaw Profile Picture, 2022

Instructor: Marsha Shaw

Marsha Shaw is a printmaker and book artist living in San Luis Obispo.  She received an MFA in Printmaking from California College of the Arts in San Francisco and a B.A. in Art and M.A. in Painting from California State University Northridge. Shaw was the studio manager at Mission Grafica Printmaking Studio for 10 years, at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, where she taught printmaking workshops.

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