A Length of Mottled Shibori: Kumo or Spiderweb

mid twentieth century
69" x 13", 175.25 cm x 33 cm

This length of mottled shibori is hand stitched from two pieces of lightly starched cotton, the shibori is a scrunched and dipped sort.  Every so often along this length there appears a tied shibori form called kumo or spiderweb.

The overall effect is atmospheric because of the unstructured shibori dyeing.   If you look at the edges of the cloth you will see that there are slight curves set into the edges: this temporary shaping is due to the cloth having been washed and then dried with bamboo spacers that are placed at regular intervals on the cloth to keep it taut and flat as it dries.

A charming length of shibori dyed cotton.