A Tattered and Patched Cotton Furoshiki: Re-purposed Cloth

early twentieth century
43" x 38", 109 cm x 96.5 cm

A furoshiki is a traditional wrapping, storage or hauling cloth which is still very much in use all over Japan. This particular one, with its deep-toned, low contrast woven stripes seems to have been hand stitched from the cloth of a kimono.

As with most used furoshiki the center portion of this one is distended from its years of use.  As well two of its corners are torn, the one of the lower left is missing. This is not unusual because it is on these two corners that the furoshiki would have been pulled in order to be tied closed when holding its contents.

There are several mending patches and there is a jagged line of white sashiko stitching to the upper, left hand corner.