An Crisp and Deeply Dyed Shibori Diaper: Sekka

ca. mid to late twentieth century
27" x 13", 68.5 cm x 33 cm

This lightweight cotton cloth measures, as shown as 27" or 68.5 cm in length, when in reality as it is twice that since this is a length of cotton that has been stitched as a "tube," short end to short end.

It is a diaper and is dyed in the itajime shibori or clamp dyed method.  The cotton would have been folded in a series of triangular folds, then clamped, and then the edges would have been dyed.  The result is this field of blue on white, six pointed "flowers" which are configured around a hexagonal base design.

The hexagon form is important to note as it is the tortoiseshell motif, which is a symbol meaning long life, a conveyance that anyone would wish for the baby wearing this diaper.

This hand dyed and hand stitched cotton diaper seems not to have been used.