Kimono
Crepe silk outer, plain silk lining; waste silk padding
Untwisted warps, twisted wefts, shibori, yuzen dye, safflower dye

This was a luxurious piece in its time, dyed in safflower both inside and out, with the outer shibori dyed all over, and small portions reserved for additional yuzen dyed designs. Light padding throughout indicates it was a winter garment. Safflower was once a highly prized and very expensive dye. Many old Japanese garments have safflower linings since it was once believed to have a medicinal value when worn next to the skin.

Handpainted grapes

Close-up of fibers, needle holes from shibori process