Soft Sewn Structures with Emily Ryan Stark Spring 2026

Explore the dimensional possibilities of fabric through trapunto and cording—two sculptural quilting techniques that create richly textured surfaces. Trapunto, often called “stuffed quilting,” adds raised forms by layering and padding selected areas, while cording introduces ridges and channels that build depth, structure, and shapes.

Designed for intermediate and advanced sewists, this workshop assumes participants have sewing experience and can comfortably operate sewing machines. Students will learn how to design and stitch trapunto motifs, route cords through fabric pathways, and strategically layer materials to develop pronounced relief. Through guided demonstrations and hands-on practice, participants will experiment with composition, motif scaling, and surface shaping to create a variety of 3D fabrics.

By the end of the two-session course, students will have completed a set of sample studies. Techniques will be presented with flexibility so the resulting surfaces can be developed into soft sculptures, wall compositions, or garment elements—providing a versatile foundation in trapunto and cording that inspires future projects and tactile surface explorations.

Workshop Session 1: Saturday, March 28, 5-7PM EDT (convert timezone)

Moderated Meetup: Thursday, April 2, 7-8PM EDT (convert timezone)

Workshop Session 2: Saturday, April 4, 5-7PM EDT (convert timezone)

All sessions will be held via Zoom Meetings and Saturday sessions will recorded. Video recordings will be available within 24 hours of each session and are accessible to participants for one year.