This futon cover is made of four panels of soft hand spun woven cotton that have been hand sewn together to make a large rectangle. This is the only way authentic old futon covers were made in Meiji Japan because loom widths were narrow, typically 12 to 14 inches. The assembled futon cloth was then dyed using a rice paste resist and all natural dyes for the colors. (A similar futon cover decorated with fans is illustrated in Figure 76 in the sumptuous book “Tsutsugaki Textiles of Japan.”)

Indigo textiles were the fabric of the countryside in Japan, and they are wonderful examples of Japanese folk art or mingei. The tsutsugaki technique involves freely drawn designs that are applied to cotton with paste resist squeezed through a paper cone having a tubular metal tip. The textile is then dipped repeatedly in indigo dyes. Where the paste lines had once been, white lines now remain, outlining the design in sharp contrast to the deep indigo blue background. Other colors are applied by brush later. Country dyers produced tsutsugaki textiles -- often with mythical and auspicious designs -- as bedding, wrapping clothes, banners and celebratory textiles for weddings, births and other important events. These tsutsugaki textiles were part of a bride’s trousseau which parents prepared for their daughter as a prayer for the well being of her new family as well as her happiness, so great care was taken in their handling as they were regarded as necessary for an auspicious future.

CONDITION is excellent. The color is a deep and vivid shade of dark indigo blue, with no fading or patches. The cotton fabric is soft and subtle, as it has probably been washed several times over the decades. The freshness and imagination in the work of tsutsugaki dyers has made tsutsugaki among the most sought-after of textiles. This extremely attractive textile would make a very dramatic wall hanging or table covering. DIMENSIONS: 61” (155 cm) long x 51” (129.5 cm) wide.