Mottainai is a Japanese term used to express a feeling of regret about wasting time, goods and things. The idea of not wasting anything and reusing used textiles has a long tradition in Japan. This approach is also deeply rooted in the Buddhist tradition. Japanese robes are constructed modularly from narrow lengths of fabric. As they become thinner, they are underlaid with pieces of fabric that are held in place by seams. Over time, the seams develop into decorative patterns (sashiko). In this workshop you can learn some of these techniques and try them out on small pieces of fabric.