[Online Workshop] Let's make karusan trousers from rescued fabric (Jan 17, 24, 31, Feb 7)

Let’s make your Karusan online
(December 1, 8, and 15, 2026)

(Applications open August 1!)

This workshop is intended for people who fit the following description:

This online workshop isnot a course for people who are trying sewing for the first time.

· They have made clothing using sewing books or their own self-taught methods
· They follow sewing patterns but sometimes struggle to get good results and don’t understand why
· They always struggle to choose the right fabric

For people like this,create clothing while understanding fabric, construction, and tailoringthis workshop is designed to help you do that.Join from your home while staying connected online to craft a perfectly fitted Karusan made just for you. You can participate using your preferred method, whether you sew by hand or use a sewing machine.

The Karu pants are made entirely with straight cuts. They’re tapered, so they’re comfortable to wear and easy to style.

We’ve added a gusset at the crotch to increase range of motion, since all cuts are straight.

Enjoy making bottoms that avoid fabric waste, based on Japanese sewing techniques.

The Karu pants come in four sizes: size 0 through size 3. (This is updated with the 2nd edition pattern released December 1, 2025.) Please make your preferred size.

Here, a woman 160cm tall is wearing size 0 (in natural linen fabric).

Here, a woman 160cm tall is wearing size 1 (in linen-cotton denim fabric).

A man 180cm tall is wearing size 2.

A man 180cm tall is wearing size 3.

About Fabric

You can either prepare your own fabric, or purchase fabric from our shop alongside this workshop.

1. Natural Linen: Recommended for all seasons except midwinter. This is solid plain-weave linen in its natural color, with a relaxed, natural vibe. It’s woven in Shiga Prefecture (100% linen).

【Product Details】

• 3 online workshop sessions (December 1, 8, 15, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
  • *Note that homework will be assigned after each session. Please be aware that you will need to complete homework at home to keep up between sessions before joining each live class.

【Additional Items You Will Need】

• Karu pants pattern (2nd Edition, released December 1, 2025): If you already own the 1st edition, we will send you a download link for the 2nd edition. If you do not already own a copy, please purchase it as an add-on. (You will receive a discounted price if you purchase both the workshop and the pattern together.)
• Fabric for your project (you can prepare your own preferred fabric, or purchase it as an add-on option through this site.)

【Required Supplies (Please Prepare These Yourself)】

• Sewing thread matching your fabric
• Waist elastic (cut to your own waist measurement)
• Waist tie (only for those who want one; approx. 140–170cm long)

【Tools Needed to Make the Pants】

• For both hand sewing and machine sewing: Sewing supplies (fabric shears, thread snips, measuring tape, chalk pen, 20 sewing pins, pin cushion),   iron, ironing board, and elastic threader
• For hand sewing: Hand sewing needles
• For machine sewing: Sewing machine, serger (if you don’t have a serger, you can use the zigzag stitch function instead, or fold and sew the raw edges to finish them)

【Participation Process】

• After you submit your application, we will send you a participation survey via Google Forms within two weeks. (We will send this via email, so please make sure to whitelist emails from ws@itoshiro.org to ensure they reach your inbox.) If you do not receive the survey after two weeks, please contact us at ws@itoshiro.org.
• Based on your responses to the participation survey, we will hold the workshop starting December 1. Please have your sewing supplies, fabric, and pattern booklet ready before joining the workshop.
• We will host the workshop using Google Meet (no need to download any apps). We will send you the join link before the session starts, so please access the meeting through that link.
• If you cannot attend a session, we will send you a recording, but we encourage you to join all three sessions if possible to complete your Karusan.
• Depending on your sewing experience, you may not finish the project during the workshop.

【Application Deadline】November 23 (Monday), 24:00

【Preparations Before Starting】

Pre-wash your fabric before starting. Submerge it in water, lightly wring out excess moisture, and hang to dry. Press it with a warm iron using a pressing cloth.
*If you prefer to machine wash your finished project, place it in a laundry bag and wash on a gentle cycle. Press out wrinkles with an iron. Fabric will shrink, but pre-washing before sewing will ensure you don’t have to worry about shrinkage later on.

【Instructor:Mari Takai】

Based in Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture, they run handmade folk apparel production and workshops at Sekisehaku Western Apparel Shop. They’ll walk you through finishing your project while sharing tips for sewing well and professional finishing techniques. They hope everyone will get to enjoy the joy of creating and a wonderful, calming time together. Their motto is: 'Praise encourages growth!'

About Sewing Experience Level

As a general guideline,
·You can make straight stitches by hand or with a sewing machine
· For hand sewing, you can make running stitches and whip stitches
· You have made small accessories or clothing by hand or with a sewing machine,

then you are welcome to join this workshop.

We don’t just follow the step-by-step pattern instructions,
we will explain the reasoning behind each shape and stitching technique as we go,
so this workshop is perfect for people who want to move beyond their self-taught sewing skills.

About Fabric-Included Workshops

This workshop will includea pre-selected fabric kit delivered to youas part of the registration.

This is because
· Ease of sewing
· Final project appearance
· Ease of understanding garment construction

all vary significantly depending on the fabric you choose.

By experiencing the reasoning behind why this pattern uses specific fabrics,
we believe this will help you make better decisions when sewing your own clothing in the future.

For this reason, we cannot accept participants who bring their own fabric. Please keep this in mind.

Can I learn effectively online?

We will deliver the same high-quality content as our in-person workshops at Sekisehaku, even online.

We will prepare materials in advance, and walk you through each step and our thought process while showing you our work up close during the live session.

What happens if I miss a session?

If you are unable to attend a session for unavoidable reasons, we will send you a recording of the session later. We will make sure you can catch up on content from missed sessions.

Can I join partway through the workshop?

We highly recommend joining from the first session.

Each session builds on the previous one, so joining partway may make it difficult to follow along with the steps.

About Participation Fees

The participation fee includes
· Online lecture sessions
· The fabric used for your project
both of these.

This is not a casual online workshop, but it is designed as a **deep dive into clothing creation**, covering everything from fabric selection to professional tailoring.

About Capacity and Application Deadlines

· Capacity: 8–10 participants per session
· Application Deadline: August 1

We cannot extend the application deadline any further, as we need time to arrange and prepare fabric for shipping.