A Large, Boro, Sashiko Furoshiki
May 22, 2010
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.
In: Tags: boro, furoshiki, sashiko - 3 Comments
The color is gorgeous and the condition is superb: the benibana dye is still as vibrant as the day it was made. Safflower dye can be very light-fugitive, so fading is a common problem with fabrics dyed in benibana. The fact that this one is so beautifully intact and vivid is worth noting.
The interior of the eri, or collar, is lined in chirimen, or crepe, silk which has been dyed in what appears to be a synthetic, red dye–not uncommon during the Meiji Era (1868-1912) which is the era I believe this kimono was made.
Pictured on the cloth are images rendered in the shibori technique: folding fans, plum blossoms, and chidori, or plovers which are depicted scampering through the surf.
This kimono, for its fine condition and rich color, is a prime example of its type.