A Boro Shibori Mat: Pattern on Same Pattern

mid twentieth century
21" x 25", 53.25 cm x 63.5 cm

This is a wonderful small textile that is hand stitched mash-up of pieces of the same white-on-blue shibori cotton cloth, the visual effect being one of a kind of "pattern chaos" due to the arbitrary placement of pieces. 

The richly colored indigo dyed cotton is hand woven and the fibers could be hand spun: the cloth pictures a repeat pattern of bamboo and camellias rendered in nui shibori or stitched shibori; the shibori could have been produced in Japan's rural Tohoku or northeast region.

This piece is composed of two layers: it appears to have been one piece of cloth--presumably taken from a yukata or kimono--which has been folded and hand stitched closed.  Note the patches, holes, and stitching to the cloth.

The intended use of this piece is unclear, but its appearance is intriguing and the cloth which composes it is just wonderful.

A curious, home made shibori oddity.

Delightful.