A Full Bolt of Stitched Shibori: Wonderful Texture and Pattern

early twentieth century
10 3/4 yards x 12 1/4", 9.8 m x 31 cm

This is a full bolt of beautifully textured, indigo dyed shibori cotton. It shows a really lovely pattern based on shippo tsunagi or interlocking circles.

The bolt was probably intended for making a yukata or an unlined summer kimono. Please pay good attention to the detail photos attached here as it is in them that the textural details from the stitched shibori is most able to be seen.

This is a particularly good bolt of shibori for obvious reasons: its pattern is not often seen, the technique used to dye it is a complicated and time-consuming one and the result is wonderfully textured and visually arresting. Its tactility is really seductive.

Most likely the cotton is commercially loomed and the indigo might be synthetically derived but this bolt is in unused condition with no flaws except for a very, very faint stain that runs from selvedge to selvedge, barely able to be seen, and an attempt to illustrate can be found on the last image of this set.

Really, really wonderful.

Recommended.