Aizome no bi: tsutsugaki = Tsutsugaki : beauty of paste resist indigo dyeing

Abstract

"Tsutsugaki textile is by squeezing paste out of a cylinder-shape bag onto a piece of cloth, for resist dyeing. This technique of placing paste by freehand differs from katazome dye (stencil), thus it is not appropriate for mass-production, but allows you to freely depict the motifs as you wish. Hence it had been used for high-classed kimono fabric as chayazome and yuzenzome. The tsutsugaki technique was applied on items that were used by the common people, such as futon (bedding), yogi (kimono-shaped bedding), furoshiki (square wrapping cloth), noren (shop curtains) and hanten (coats), on cotton or hemp. These are specially ordered to wish a family and communities happiness for felicitous occasions such as wedding, the birth of a child, and other rites, and often felicitous motifs wishing longevity and prosperity are chosen. Dyers in various places, exerted their skills in dynamic or intricate expression. These textiles were not given an official title for a long time, nor taken notice of until the 1920s. Yanagi Muneyoshi and his associates discovered the unique beauty of yogi and furoshiki dyed by tsutsugaki that differed from prominent kimono cloth, and began to take notice of its value in society. 'Tsutsugaki' became a general term for cloth adopting this technique."-- Preface (page 2).