A Length of Blue on White Yanagi Shibori: Circles and Willow Branches

early to mid twentieth century
38" x 10 1/2", 96.5 cm x 26.5 cm

This is a short length of indigo dyed cotton shibori that shows a beautiful variant on a style of shibori called yanagi or willow.

Yanagi shibori is characterized by long, softly flowing lines of indigo which call to mind the weeping willow tree. In this case these falling lines emanate from a design of three stitched, interlocking circles which creates a nice design.

The blue-on-white effect is very nice and this is a particularly attractive and not terribly common shibori technique.

Please note this length is narrow because one of its selvedge edges is missing: it must have been taken from a collar area of an old yukata which is an unlined, casual kimono.

Recommended.