A Richly Patched Old Boro Textile: Handspun Cotton

late nineteenth century
31" x 28", 78.5 cm x 71 cm

This short, two panel boro textile is little island perfection.  It is beautiful for its subtle tones of indigo--of which there are many due to its rich, layered patching--and for the threads that weave the cloth that is stitched together to make this piece.  The cotton is hand woven from hand spun yarns, an extremely desirable feature where Japanese folk textiles are concerned.  It also indicates age, and this small boro cloth is steeped in Japan's past.

These two panels were taken from what must have been a futon cover. The stitching is wonderful and both sides show a good deal of interest and they are in contrast to one another: one side is patched with great care and the other is blank, showing a prominently placed, irregularly-shaped hole which is the reason for the flurry of patches on the other side of this cloth.

Absolutely beautiful and a must-have for a boro collection.

Recommended.