A Length of Indigo Dyed Cotton Zanshi Ori: Left Over Yarns

early to mid twentieth century
76" x 13", 193 cm x 33 cm

Zanshi ori is cloth that is woven from threads either leftover from home production of yarn making, or from broken threads that were purchased from local commercial weavers. 

Usually the weft is fed with these random threads while generally the warp is regulated producing an irregular horizontal 'striping'; if home threads are used, knotted slubs can often be seen.

On this length we can see a beautifully colored, irregularly spaced weft design which is the result of broken yarns being used to weave this panel. There are two, horizontally-placed  narrow width patches hand stitched to the back of the piece which can be seen by viewing it from the front and in the photos here.

The length has a heavy and drapey hand and the color is subtle but variegated.

A very good piece of a beautiful country textile.