A Boldly Patched and Mended Sakabukuro: Sake Filter

mid twentieth century
30" x 9 1/4", 76 cm x 23.5 cm

Sakabukuro, or sake straining bags, are very collectible boro textiles. Made of cotton saturated with green persimmon tannin, or kaki shibu, which gives the distinctive brown color, this utilitarian textile was used in sake making.

Crude sake, or sake lees, was placed in this bag and pressure was applied to squeeze out and filter the liquid. Repeated use required repeated mendings and we see the wonderfully odd stitches applied for this purpose.  

This wonderful bag shows large, bold mending patches and equally bold and graphic stitched mending. The color contrast and the vivacity of these patches and stitches in relation to the ground cloth is vibrant and wonderful to look at.

A really lovely, good looking sakabukuro.

Highly recommended.