Vintage Japanese Kimono Fabrics by Pieces: Japanese Textile Fabric Swatches

80211:1980s Japanese Tsumugi Silk,Pixelated, 62in.Pc, Large Hex Medallions, AraiHari

80212: 1980s Ohshima Tsumugi, Hex Medallions,41 inches

Traditional Japanese Textiles:

1980's Japanese Tsumugi (Pongee) Silk Fabric
Pixelated Designs-Large Hex-Shaped Medallions

Catalog# 8021-1

Width:14 inches / 35.56 cm
Length: 62 inches / 157.48 cm

US$20.00 per piece Plus Shipping

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 1980s tsumugi silk, derived from a kimono by an Arai-Hari cleaner in Japan; fabric is smooth, slight sheen and is minimally translucent, with a gray-colored background, but fully pixelated using mostly micro-tiny plus (+} pixels as background, and in rendering the overall design; Motif is large iron-red and black Hexagonal medallions, 5.75 inches/ 14.6cm X 10.5inches / 14.6 cm alternating one then two rows descending; Also, within these medallions black geometric lines and a flower at the center of each figure; Note that this style of 1980s and later pixelation is common in Ohshima and similar regional Tsumugi 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.