A Length of Shibori Dyed Cotton: Large Scale Pattern with Purple Dye

mid twentieth century
64" x 14 1/4", 162.5 cm x 36 cm

This is a length of lightweight, commercially loomed cotton that has been dyed in the shibori or tie dye method. It was taken from a yukata, an unlined, casual summer kimono.

The pattern on the cotton is is large in scale. It shows boldly arranged diagonal lines that are contrasted by curving forms--almost like a half-paisley--that contain shibori dyed images of bamboo leaves. The colors are a kind of cornflower blue and a purplish tone.

There are ingrained creases from its former life as a garment and the length is versatile in its applications: it can be admired as art, used as a fashion or home accessory, studied for its technique or design--or in any number of ways that inspiration will govern.

Lovely.