A Hemp Cloth Apron: Indigo Dyed

early to mid twentieth century
27 3/4" x 24", 70.5 cm x 61 cm

Aprons were a staple accessory and were worn all the time in old Japan by all classes of people, especially working people. 

Women at home wore them to do housekeeping, farmers and tradesmen wore them, shopkeepers wore them, children wore them--in the past, aprons or maekake were part of one's daily clothing, and, still, today, many people today in Japan wear aprons on a daily basis.

This particular one is made from a handsomely indigo dyed hemp or ramie cloth said to be from Omi, a well-known producer of hemp and ramie cloth. The tie is a black colored satin-like silk, the entire apron is hand stitched.

This apron could be easily deconstructed to be repurposed and used in a new way and it will yield a fairly good amount of cloth for any project.

Of course it can still be worn as it was intended to be.