Introduction to Japanese Embroidery

Discover the refined tradition of Japanese embroidery, or Nihon Shishū (日本刺繍), through a hands-on introduction to its materials, visual language, and foundational techniques.

Over centuries, Japanese embroidery became a highly refined textile tradition. Using silk thread, careful stitch direction, and the natural sheen of the fiber, embroiderers create richly expressive surfaces and intricate designs. The tradition has appeared across religious textiles, courtly dress, kimono, and other forms of decorative textile art.

In this beginner-friendly workshop, participants will be introduced to several traditional Japanese embroidery techniques, including Nuikiri (繍切り), Suga-nui (菅繍), Jibiki (地引き), and Komadori (駒取り). Guided practice will offer a first-hand experience of how thread placement, stitch direction, and the qualities of silk shape the appearance of embroidery.

Through working with these foundational techniques, participants will gain a closer understanding of the precision, patience, and material sensitivity at the heart of traditional Japanese embroidery.

No previous embroidery experience is required. All materials will be provided.

About the Artist

Aodan is a Chicago-based artist working across embroidery, jewelry, glasswork, and wearable art. Her practice draws from traditional East Asian craft techniques and explores how forms of intangible cultural heritage thrive within the contemporary art world.

Aodan is interested in what allows a centuries-old technique to remain a living artistic language. Through preservation with deep respect for the extraordinary technical achievements of generations of artisans before her, she works with the belief that these traditions can continue to bloom as living forms of creation for experiments, reinterpretation, and ways of speaking to contemporary life.

Her work is also informed by the long and often overlooked histories of women as makers. With techniques and materials historically associated with women’s handwork and decorative arts, she explores how the inherited precious memory passed down with warmth from fingertips can become a vessel for contemporary expression, personal narrative, and new forms of meaning.