A Pieced Cotton Kotatsugake: Printed and Kasuri Cotton

mid twentieth century
63" x 62", 160 cm x 157.5 cm

This is a large stitched and backed kotatsugake which is a cloth to be draped over a traditional heated table or kotatsu. A heavy cloth such as this traps the heat so a family who gathers near the hearth and places their legs under the cloth stays warm. To think that a kotatsu was still being used when this was made by hand in a family's home in roughly the mid twentieth century points to Japan's lingering traditions--nowadays kotatsu are usually in the form of an electric blanket.

This one is hand stitched and is made of recycled cottons. The lead photos here show a mainly indigo dyed kasuri field of four 13", 33 cm (approximately) panels with one panel made of commercially loomed, printed cottons.

The back shows another set of repurposed cottons using the same mustard-colored printed cotton as on the front with another patterned cloth--also commercially made--of a purplish hue.

The entire piece is edged and the entire surface is stitched with columns of white sashiko about 1", 2.5 cm apart.

In seemingly unused condition this is a lovely, traditional kotatsugake with an unusual color palette.

Recommended.