An Overdyed Indigo Furoshiki: Stencil Resisted Decoration

early twentieth century
20 1/2" x 19", 52 cm x 48.25 cm

This lovely,one-and-a-half panel, hand stitched furoshiki or wrapping cloth is made of hand loomed cotton, dyed in indigo and over dyed in yellow, possibly kihada, a yellow obtained from a tree bark, or maybe turmeric, which also yields a yellow tone.

The green color is velvety and rich and the cotton is of a good weight.  The in the corner is that of a flower seen from the back, and it was applied with a stencil: rice paste pushed through the stencil on to the cloth resisted the dye, and is the reason this design stays undyed.  Please have a look at the edges of the undyed cotton where you can see some of the yellow dye which has bled through.

A beautifully colored and collectible furoshiki.