Antique bag with Tsutsugaki technique from Japan. 69×43 cms

Bag made from one piece, folded diagonally. The Tsutsugaki (筒描) is a Japanese technique of resist dyeing that involves drawing rice-paste designs on cloth, dyeing the cloth, and then washing off the paste.

The rice paste is typically made from sweet rice, which has a high starch content and is therefore rather sticky. The paste is applied through a tube (tsutsu) similar to a piping bag. A related process is to apply the paste through a stencil, a technique known as katazome.

The cloth dyed typically cotton, and the dye is typically indigo, so the design is usually white on blue. Banners for shops or other purposes are sometimes made in this manner.

Material: cotton

Size: 69×73 cms

Origin: Japan

Made in 1900-20s