A Dust Rag or Zokin: Artful Stitching

mid twentieth century
13 1/2" x 15 1/2", 34 cm x 39.5 cm

A zokin is a traditional Japanese dust cloth or cleaning rag; it is usually made from old pieces of cloth and it is usually layered and stitched for durability. 

Along with diapers, zokin are among the traditional household textiles that represent the end of the line where the re-purposing or recycling of cloth is concerned.

This zokin is a few layers thick and is made of pieces of old cotton cloth. It is sashiko stitched in loosely executed wandering lines that create something of a small artwork. The white stitches over the pieced cotton base is beautiful--as are the darker stitches which add visual interest and contrast to the white stitching.

A wonderful boro zokin with a very good old cotton cloth and great mending.