An Unevenly Faded Boro Sashiko Stitched Furoshiki: Indigo Dyed Cotton

mid twentieth century
39 3/4" x 42 1/4", 101 cm x 107 cm

This pale, indigo dyed cotton furoshiki is a traditional wrapping or carrying cloth and it is obviously well-used.

Its four corners are sashiko stitched: the upper right and lower left corners show the chrysanthemum motif; the upper left corner shows interlocking circles while the lower right corner shows the traditional hemp leaf design.

As is very obvious from all the photos here this furoshiki has seen a lot of wear, not only from its many patches and the tears and holes that are left unmended, but also because of the wild streaked creases of sun fading that shoot in strange directions all over the surface of this old cloth.  It is unclear how this fading came to be, or, rather, what situation caused this unusual fading.  

This is a strange and intriguing boro cloth, one with a great deal of visual interest and one where the uneven dye is a unique characteristic.

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