A Katazome Zokin: Good Figured Cloth

mid twentieth century
8" x 13 1/4", 20 cm x 33.5 cm

A zokin is a traditional Japanese dust cloth or cleaning rag; it is usually made from old pieces of cloth and it is usually layered and stitched for durability.   

Along with diapers, zokin are among the traditional household textiles that represent the end of the line where the repurposing or recycling of cloth is concerned.

This attractive boro zokin is a few layers thick and it is made from a folded piece of beautifully faded katazome cotton that shows a lovely, complex pattern of hexagons, hemp leaves and chrysanthemums.

Just beautiful and nicely stitched.