Trapuntowith Sarah Nishiura

This class is part of the five-part virtual Hand Sewn Quilting Series II. Classes may be purchased à la carte at $75 or as a five-part package for a discounted price of $400. 

This workshop will introduce participants to the history and techniques of stuffed and corded quilting also known as Trapunto, or Marseille, quilting. From their somewhat mysterious origins in the fifteenth century to their mass production in seventeenth-century France, and their domestic production in eighteenth-century colonial American homes, these extraordinarily textured whole-cloth quilts are a testament to the complex globalism that created quilting as we know it today. We will learn about this fascinating history and explore some of the techniques and motifs utilized to produce stuffed and corded quilts through the ages. Finally, participants will have the opportunity to experiment with a simplified approach to stuffing and cording, which is accessible to twenty-first-century quilt makers using commonly available materials and tools.

Date + Time

Thursday, July 3rd, 2025, 12 - 2:30 pm ET

Location

Zoom, a link will be emailed to participants the day before class.

Cost

$75 for the individual class
$400 for the series

Suggested Class Materials

• Two pieces of solid color cotton fabric, approximately 15” squares
• 100% cotton batting – 15” square plus extra scraps for stuffing
• Small piece of cotton, linen lawn, voile, batiste, or other extra fine and light-weight fabric (scraps are fine). NOTE: This should be the same or similar color to your other cotton fabric. It will be on the inside of your stitching, but it could show through if it is too light or too dark.
• Cotton hand-quilting thread that matches the color of your fabric
• Contrasting thread for basting
• Needles for hand quilting – Sarah likes #8 sharps
• String for cording – Sarah uses kitchen twine, but cotton yarn, or even worsted wool will work (note: If your fabric is white, your cord should be white unless you want it to show through).
• Needle for the cord – Make sure the eye will accommodate the size of your chosen cord
• Cotton balls for stuffing
• Washable marking pencil or pen
• Number 2 pencil
• Adjustable embroidery Hoop (8 – 12”)
• Ruler
• Sharp scissors.
• Something for poking your stuffing – i.e. knitting needle or chopstick
• Seam ripper

Scholarships 

There are scholarship spots available for this workshop. Please email info@tatter.org to learn more.

Our Teacher

Sarah Nishiura is a Chicago based quiltmaker who utilizes traditional techniques to craft quilts out of recycled and vintage materials. Inspired by numerous textile traditions including 19th and early 20th century American Quilts, Sarah’s work explores and celebrates the infinite possibilities of geometric design. Her quilts have been exhibited in museums and galleries in the U.S. and abroad including the Iowa Quilt Museum, the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Art, the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, and the Yokohama Quilt Fest in Japan. Her quilts have been featured in numerous magazines and blogs including Martha Stewart Living, QuiltFolk Magazine, Chicago Magazine, and Food and Wine, and they are included in private, corporate, and public art collections throughout the United States. In 2019 Sarah received an  Illinois Arts Council Finalist Award for Craft.  Sarah has an MFA in painting from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and a BA in visual arts from Brown University.

More information about Sarah’s studio practice can be found at: http://www.sarahnishiura.com/

*All classes in this series will be recorded. A link to the recording will be emailed to all registrants following the live session. You may purchase the series as a whole even after the classes have begun. You will be emailed the recordings upon sign-up.

2nd photo: Quilt, ca. 1855-1879, India. Woven cotton, trapunto work. Victoria & Albert Museum, London. 

3rd photo: The Tristan Quilt, ca. 1360-1400, Sicily. Linen quilted and padded with cotton wadding with outlines in brown and white linen thread. Victoria & Albert Museum, London.