Vintage Japanese Kimono Fabrics by Pieces: Japanese Textile Fabric Swatches

78021:1980s Japanese Tsumugi Silk,Nature,Pixelated, Geometrics 40in.Pc.Navy Blue

7802-1:1980s Japan Tsumugi Silk,40inches

Traditional Japanese Textiles:

1980's Japanese Tsumugi (Pongee) Silk Fabric
Pixelated Designs-Traditional Mix with Modernistic
Trees, Flora, Leaves, Ferns, Decorated Fences

Catalog# 7802-1

Width:14.5 inches / 36.83 cm
Length: 40 inches / 101.6 cm

US$12.00 per piece

Item Details and Description

Fabric History/Pedigree: 1980s fabric from kimono pieces from an Arai Hari (special Japanese kimono cleaner -- see info on Arai-Hari HERE from John Marshall, expert on Japanese textiles .

Fabric Description Details:

This is a lightweight tsumugi silk, slightly translucent, navy blue and blue-gray with slight hints of moss-green and browns; slight sheen; several hues of blue interwoven to render a complex motif of myriad geometric shapes and figures, mostly trees, bushes, leaves, ferns, streams, etc., with traditionally decorated fences; designs the same on both sides: selvage of .25 inch / 6.35 mm both sides; Motifs are the micro-pixelated fields throughout all the various geometric and medallion-like patterns, this pixelation is common in Tsumugi due to the weaving methods, but the lighter fabric shows the pixelation a bit more (please see closeups); We are not sure if this is from Amami Ohshima, but it shares many of the same characteristics.

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.