A Pieced Zokin: Boro Dust Rag

early to mid twentieth century
12 1/4" x 12 1/2", 31 cm x 31.5 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 rough-looking pieced boro zokin is a few layers thick and is made from an expressive arrangement of cotton cloth. It is sashiko stitched in a loosely executed grid pattern: the white stitches over the pieced cotton base is beautiful.

A wonderful boro zokin with a very good old cotton cloth.