patchwork; pieced fabric
Refers to fabric made by sewing together small pieces of cloth, often in quilting or craft contexts.
My grandmother made a patchwork bag from old kimono fabric.
The patchwork technique arose from the wisdom of using cloth without waste.
Compound of 寄せ (yose, 'gathering') and 切れ (gire, 'piece of cloth'), literally 'gathered cloth pieces'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used in sewing contexts for many years.