The term Kawari Mokume(変わり木目 or 変り木目) in Japanese translates to"unusual wood grain"or"abnormal wood patterns". It is a compound term used in various traditional Japanese crafts. Kawari (変わり or 変り): Meaning change, alteration, difference, unusual, or abnormality. Mokume (木目): Meaning wood grain or wood patterns.
I used a cotton cloth for this piece. The pattern stitching was a very simple grid, but it took an enormous amount of time. Essentially the entire piece is stitched. I worked on this after I fell ill and was in bed for several weeks. It kept me company while I recovered, and I was thankful for the simple but time consuming pattern.
I dyed this 5 times in my Indigo vat. I love the way this pattern pleated after the dyeing process, and I’m reluctant to press it so I have kept it as it is for now.
