A Length of Indigo Dyed Katazome: Two Repairs and Hand Spun Cotton

late nineteenth century
46" x 13 1/4", 117 cm x 33.5 cm

This length of fairly heavily woven cotton is dyed in the katazome method and shows stylized chrysanthemums amid a field of arabesque. 

Aside from the large-scale and spirited pattern one of the characteristics that makes this length covetable is its beautifully hand spun cotton yarns.

The overall surface abrasion and rather strong (in parts) light fading only serve to enhance this aspect of the cloth. Prominently hand spun yarns deliver what in Japan is known as "thread flavor" which means the cloth has a kind of soulful feeling due to the presence of the human touch.

There are touches of orange color on the cloth and this is the result of an iron oxide derived pigment dye called bengara, an often-seen color tone that enriches many katazome designs and which might be familiar to you.

There are two mending patches, each shown in the detail photos here, 

This is a beautifully rustic length of good quality katazome cotton that bears great age and wonderful texture.