A Length of Indigo Dyed Cotton Katazome: Bold Asanoha Pattern

early twentieth century
42 1/12" x 13", 108 cm x 33 cm

This length of indigo dyed cotton cloth was dyed in the katazome method and the pattern is a classic Japanese one called asanoha or a repeat pattern of stylized hemp leaves.

The cotton is not hand spun or hand woven and the length is very slightly bowed, owing to the fact that it was once part of a han juban or a half under kimono.

The asanoha pattern is bold and crowded, making for a sparkling effect as the blue captures small shards of undyed cotton cloth which seem to glitter.

There is one place on the length that shows the seaming when two edges of the stencil which is resisting the cloth meet, and this is always a fascinating thing to see: it kind of "humanizes" this cloth which seems so perfect that it is hard to believe it could be hand dyed.