A Length of Zanshi ori: Leftover Yarn Weaving

early to mid twentieth century
70" x 13 1/2", 178 cm x 34.25

Zanshi ori, is cloth that is woven from yarns which are either leftover from the home production of yarn making or from broken threads that were purchased from local commercial weavers.  Usually the weft is fed with these random threads while the warp is regulated producing an irregular horizontal 'striping'; if home threads are used, knotted slubs can often be seen.

This length is composed of two pieces that are hand stitched together. The yarns used to weave this dark-toned length are both cotton and silk which is sometimes the case in zanshi ori cloth.

Notice the irregular and subtly striped warp yarns and the boldly contrasting horizontal bands that are of random width.

With a very good drape, this length is a wonderful example of zanshi ori, one of the ingenious forms of folk weaving from old Japan.