Today I’m showing a large, boro, indigo dyed cotton, sashiko stitched furoshiki–a furoshiki is a traditional, Japanese wrapping cloth, used for both storage and for transporting things from place to place.

Notice the stitching on each of the four corners: the stitches are formed in a chrysanthemum motif and were sewn on to provide strength and durability to the furoshiki.Furoshiki such as this were often presented to a newly married couple as a part of their wedding trousseau.  Depending on where one lived and what one’s social status was, trousseaux were often composed of a prescribed set of items: so many furoshiki in so many sizes, futon covers, x number of diapers and the like.    Very often wedding trousseau items were decorated using “fancy” techniques such as sashiko stitching or resist dyeing such as katazome or tsutsugaki.The patching and mending to this piece are really wonderful, as is the large, central white cotton piece that was used for added strength.  Clearly this furoshiki was well-used.

This furoshiki probably dates to the late nineteenth, early twentieth century.  It measures 65″ x 65″ or 165 cm x 165 cm.