A Softly Dyed Shibori Diaper: Spiderweb

mid twentieth century
23" x 12", 58.5 cm x 30.5 cm

This loop of gauzy, lightweight, clingy cotton is dyed in the shibori method--and it is a diaper.

This is a typical traditional Japanese diaper; by "loop" we mean that although the dimensions, above, state that this is "23", 58.5 cm" long, it is actually twice that since this cloth is doubled up on itself and hand stitched to form a "loop."

The simple, shibori decoration of the free-form spiderweb design is lovely; the indigo is likely not botanical.

The dye seems either lightly dyed or, probably more accurately, faded from a great deal of use over a long time: the gauzy cotton is well-used and one could say it was abraded with one or two very, very faint stains.  

Still, it is really lovely