A Shibori Dyed Koshimaki: Katazome Border

mid twentieth century
32" x 47", 81.25 cm x 119.5 cm

This beautifully hand dyed cotton rectangle is a sarong-like, traditional woman's undergarment called a koshimaki.  This koshimaki is a mixture of old and "new" cloth and techniques.

The large-repeat, beautifully shibori dyed cotton is done on commercially produced cotton using synthetic indigo, and its edges are machine finished.

The waist band, however, is an older piece of katazome cotton, dyed by hand, which is hand stitched to the large, shibori cotton piece which comprises the skirt portion of the koshimaki.

Contrasting in tone and in scale, the small pattern of the katazome dyed band against the bold, splashy skirt of the koshimaki is a lot of visual fun.  

And this wonderful, old garment is still perfectly wearable, so consider it.

Lovely.