A Large Pieced Cotton Bag: Drawstring Closure

mid twentieth century
19" x 12" x 12", 48.25 cm x 30.5 cm x 30.5 cm

This lovely and fairly large drawstring bag is hand sewn from about 11 pieces of Japanese cottons, and is made up of a mixture of woven plaids and kasuri or ikat dyed cloth. 

The cotton drawstring seems original to the bag and it is threaded through hand stitched loops or tabs.  

This kind of piece-constructed, drawstring bag is often referred to as a komebukuro. 

Komebukuro are bags that were used to bring token offerings of uncooked rice or beans to a temple or shrine festival, the piecing and patching often being thought-out and planned, for festive effect.  As this piece is too large to carry a token offering of rice or beans it was more than likely made to carry or store items in the home.

A marvelous bag, it is one that shows a really lovely and good range of cottons--it is an object that beautifully recalls the spirit of old Japan.