Gentle Current — Jiangnan Wooden Comb Check
Soft red and indigo lines form a large square grid around fine comb-like inner stripes in this substantial, softly structured Jiangnan homespun cotton.
Sold in 50 cm lengths
Width: approx. 46.5 cm
- Quantity 1
- Approx. 46.5 cm wide × 50 cm long
- Quantity 2
- Approx. 46.5 cm wide × 100 cm long
- Quantity 3
- Approx. 46.5 cm wide × 150 cm long
Multiple quantities are cut as one continuous piece whenever possible. Total available length was not supplied; check Etsy for live stock, price and purchase terms.
- Object ID
- TA-JN-0009
- Origin
- Jiangnan · Around Shanghai, southern Jiangsu and northern Zhejiang, China
- Period
- c. 1940s–1960s
- Dating confidence
- estimated
- Material
- Cotton
- Dimensions
- Approx. 46.5 cm wide; sold in 50 cm lengths
- Technique
- Handwoven homespun · Yarn-dyed weave
- Pattern
- Large square grid · Geometric plaid · Wooden Comb Back Pattern / Mu Shu Bei Wen (木梳背纹)
- Colours
- Indigo blue · Soft red · Natural off-white
Object condition
Vintage homespun cotton, described in the supplied listing as thick, softly structured and slightly nubby, with an old handspun character. Natural signs of age may include uneven weaving, cotton slubs, tiny specks, minor loose threads and gentle wear. Washing history is not confirmed.
Identification notes
The owner-supplied listing estimates the late Republican to early PRC period, approximately the 1940s–1960s, and attributes the cloth broadly to Jiangnan.
The listing identifies the fine inner lines as Wooden Comb Back Pattern / Mu Shu Bei Wen (木梳背纹), combined with a larger square grid. This identification is retained as the supplied description; no loom draft accompanies the record.
The red, indigo and natural-white pattern comes from dyed yarns woven into the cloth, not surface printing.
The supplied cultural reading connects grids with steadiness and balance, and the wooden comb with smoothing, arranging and harmony. These meanings are presented as the listing’s interpretation, rather than a universal established meaning for every cloth of this design.
Suggested uses include slow stitching, patchwork, tea cloths, table runners, pouches, bags, book covers, textile collage and soft furnishings. Traditional narrow width should be checked before planning a project.
Care from the supplied listing: test a small piece before using it in a washable sewing project; gently hand-wash in cold water if needed. The text does not establish whether this piece has previously been washed.
