A Shirakage Shibori Zokin #1: Blue on White

mid twentieth century
7 3/4" x 12 1/2", 19.5 cm x 32 cm

A zokin is a traditional Japanese dust rag which is usually made from several layers of cotton that have been stitched together.  Zokin, along with diapers, can be considered the last stop in the textile repurposing journey.

This zokin is particularly interesting because it is stitched from indigo dyed shirakage shibori, a beautiful blue-on-white technique and one of the more difficult of the many shibori processes.  It is about four layers thick, and most likely if this zokin were deconstructed, you would find more shibori inside. 

A fantastic, unusual zokin with wonderful sashiko stitching.