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8020:1970s Japanese Tsumugi Silk,Complex Ornate,Pixelated,41in.Pc, Medallion Grid, Burgundy

Traditional Japanese Textiles:

1980's Japanese Tsumugi (Pongee) Silk Fabric
Pixelated Designs-Medallions in Grid Array

Catalog# 8020

Width:14 inches / 35.56 cm
Length: 41 inches / 104.14cm

US$15.00 per piece
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Fabric History/Pedigree: Pieces received from a traditional Japanese kimono cleaner/reconstructor called Arai-Hari -- see an excellent explanation of traditional Arai Hari by textile expert John Marshall,by clicking HERE;

For an excellent 'how-to' do Arai-Hari oneself, we highly recommend Kae Warnock's Blog, Chocolate Factotum:

Fabric Description Details:

This is a lightweight 1970s Ohshima tsumugi silk, derived from a kimono by an Arai-Hari cleaner in Japan; fabric is smooth, slight sheen and is minimally translucent, softer than most we see of this period; background is burgundy color with designs interwoven alternating 2 inch/5.08cm diamond shapes with 1 inch/2.54cm, the latter pixelated pale blue diamond shapes; Note that this style of 1970s and later pixelation is common in Ohshima and similar regionalTsumugi due to the weaving methods (please see closeups);

Colors: Please use our text color descriptions to complement your sense of the fabric due to differences in contrast and color on different devices.

Condition: EXCELLENT,

Recommended for making scarf/accessories.

Cultural Background Information:

Details on this part of Japan's special pongee silk-making process can be found on the National Foundation for Promoting the National Costume of Japan website, which explains the natural plant dyes and mud etc. used in making Tsumugi, quoted here:

Characteristics: A plain woven silk fabric with pre-dyed scoured threads both for warp and weft. The color is refined and calm and the fabric is soft and difficult to wrinkle. Threads are dyed with plant dyes such as "Techiki" (Raphilolepis umbellata) and indigo (Persicaria tinctoria) with a technique, peculiar only to "Oshima Tsumugi," called "Ori Jime." As a variety, an additional treatment is made to the dyed thread by dipping them in muddy water. It is "Doro(mud) Zome(dyeing)." There are several kinds of "Oshima Tsumugi":"Doro Oshima," "Ai(indigo) Oshima," "Doro Ai Oshima," "Iro(color) Oshima" and "Natsu(summer) Oshima."

Popular with our antique Japanese textile aficionados and collectors.