Bringing out the box of batik fabric, I cut circles of different sizes and appliqued them over the places that were beginning to tear. In the end, there were over 60 spots that needed repair and when I looked again at where they fell, there seems to be a pattern. Some places were heavily damaged and some had no problem at all.
I began to think about the way this fabric is printed. A certain length is stenciled with paste and then folded back in an accordian fashion. If you look closely at a roll of yukata fabric, you can find these reversals in the design.
When all the stenciling is done, the whole folded pile is laid atop a vat and the dye comes from the top and is sucked through the stack. That is why the fabric, like batik, is usable from either side. (And also why sometimes words seem to be written in reverse. For tenugui, it doesn't matter because each towel is only the length of one stencil. It is those made for yukata where the writing is reversed in some places. Writing might be used for a Sumo wrestler's yukata ... I have some of that ... or perhaps some artistic caligraphy... I have some of that too.
Looking at the damaged areas, they seem to fall within this pattern... at certain ends of the stencil area. Maybe the dye there had more of the mordants that cause decay.
Still thinking about the + and x blocks, Janet suggested using all one color cornerstones to give the eye a place to rest. Now I am beginning to think how I liked the blocks all laid out with some of the white sheet showing between the blocks. It might be a good plan to use a white or light sashing... maybe even a fine print to sash all the blocks and use the cornerstones to balance the color.
I have cut many sashing pieces but those can always be used for another project. Another advantage to that is that I could put the blocks into rows and do a lot of the sashing while I travel. I could even take a baggy of colored 1-inch blocks along because many of my kids have enough space in their homes to spread the rows out and make decisions.
I love the input I get from my readers, especially when I am trying to come up with a plan.. Keep those ideas coming. A bit of a stir to the old brain is a big help.
