A Pieced Zokin: Boro Dust Cloth

mid twentieth century
9 3/4" x 14", 25 cm x 35.5 cm

A zokin is a traditional Japanese dust cloth or cleaning rag; it is usually made from old pieces of cloth and it is usually layered and stitched for durability. 

Along with diapers, zokin are among the traditional household textiles that represent the end of the line where the re-purposing or recycling of cloth is concerned.

This zokin is a few layers thick and is made of pieces of old cotton cloth, three types in total. It is sashiko stitched in a loosely executed pattern of parallel lines. The white stitches over the pieced cotton base is beautiful--as are the two distinct sides.

A wonderful boro zokin with a very good old cotton cloth and great mending.