Indigo Way Mystery Introduction!

How many years have we been doing mysteries?

They started around 2008 when I was moving from South Carolina to North Carolina with Carolina Crossroads which is now included in my first book Scraps & Shirttails.

Mysteries continued - some being published after the fact in later publications, and there are several that still live down at the bottom of the Free Patterns tab.

The most recent mysteries (including this one eventually) were retired and then offered as PDF patterns in the digital pattern section of the Quiltville Store.

This year, as many others before it (except for during the non-traveling time of Covid) gets its inspiration from somewhere I've been in the past year - Vietnam!

This post contains the back story, colors, yardage requirements, and recommended tools.

Our yearly Quiltville Winter Mystery begins in earnest with Part One going live on Black Friday, 11/24/23.

All of the posts for our Indigo Way mystery will be linked under the Indigo Way tab at the top of the blog for easy reference.

If you’ve followed along with our many past Quiltville Mysteries, you’ll already have a good handle of what happens.  I’m glad to have you back sewing with me again!

If you are one of the many, many new ones who are joining in from the land of Instagram, Facebook and beyond, I want to welcome you.

The most important thing I can mention is to PRINT YOUR PDF COPIES (or save them to your  device, cloud, whatever) as they are released.

When the mystery retires, likely some time in February - all of these mystery posts will go away and I will not be providing missing parts. You'll be directed to the Quiltville Store and the Quiltville Etsy Pattern Shop to purchase the pattern. SAVE YOUR CLUES.

Why do we do a mystery quilt during the holidays?  It's simple.

No matter how busy you may be during the holidays, there are people who are not. They could be alone, or caring for aging parents, their children may be across country or on the other side of the world. 

We have folks dealing with devastating illnesses - newly widowed or divorced. Maybe there was a loss of a job, or a move across country and away from family and friends.

The holidays are NOT joyful for everyone - so we do this during this time to bring a little joy into their lives.  Sewing in community can heal.  It's a gift I can give.  

If you are too busy to participate because your holidays are bustling and joyful - that's wonderful.  Just save the clues so you can jump in later as your own schedule allows.

Okay!  Now that all of that is out of the way - let's get on with it!

Click HERE for Indigo Way Introduction PDF.

Indigo is life in the mountains of Vietnam.

Many of Vietnam's various ethnic groups continue to practice traditional methods of transforming indigofera plants into a deep blue dye, in order to tint their clothing and household fabrics. For some tribes, the shade of indigo is extremely important - the deeper the tone, the finer the cloth.

Batiked indigo panels with red/white/navy square in a square appliques.

While I loved our traveling in Vietnam, my life was so enriched by the beautiful Hmong women we met while in the Sapa region.

These small ethnic groups keep their customs alive through their traditional costumes and the handcrafts they pass down from mother-to-daughter-to-granddaughter.

"Do you have children?" The lady I was closely watching asked me.  "Oh yes! I have 2 sons, and one grandson."

"Oh! I have 8 children and 18 grandchildren!" She exclaimed.

I know wherein her treasure lies.

While we admired the costumes - we came to learn that even the cloth was handwoven on looms from hemp died in indigo.  All of the embroidery is done by hand with hand-dyed silk.

From Grandmother to daughter to granddaughter - and on to us.

And if you need a place for your needle - just stick it in your hat!

We learned that the deeper the indigo dye - nearly blue-black - the finer the fabric.

Years of working with dyed cloth - it's evident in the hands.

And in the feet.

(Here she is twisting the silk threads into plys for embroidery.)

I loved my time with these ladies!

(That's Craftours guide Deb in the middle!)

And I'll be sharing more through the parts of this mystery.

Hemp loom for weaving cloth with newly washed batiked and dyed hangings.

This is the one that came home with me.

This piece equals maybe 1/2 yard or so - maybe a bit less.  But I used it as a focal fabric in Indigo Way along with some other indigo/navy blues to round out my mix.  If you have a particular navy fabric that you'd like to use as a focal - there will be a good place for it. It is accounted for in the total yardage for indigo blues.

If you wish to just use random navy blues, that will work fine too.

Paint Chips from Lowe's!

Paint Chips are NOT required to participate.  I really don't think you need them.  Just save this photo to your phone and voila.

Just think Indigo (Navy) Light Blue, Red and Neutral.

Back side of the chips if you need them.

A PDF of the paint chips is included in the PDF for this introductory post.

Fabric Requirements:

Indigo Way finishes at 87'' X 87''.  If you wish a smaller quilt, make half the units. You can figure out your own layout once the reveal is posted.

Indigo fabrics: 3 yards total

Light blues: 2 yards total

Solid Red (Because - the hats!) 2 1/2 yards.

Your reds do not have to be solid.  You can use as many as you want.  I am expressing my full Vietnam experience in this quilt.  You do you.

Please prewash at least your reds to make sure they don't bleed.

Neutrals - a good variety (You know me!)

4 1/2 yards

White to cream, but not too dark. They need to contrast against your lightest blues. The two neutral paint chips are roughly the range I went with.  

Of course it goes without saying - your fabrics don't have to be a perfect match to the paint chips and your quilt will have more life and movement if you push the boundaries of your color families.

Enhance your Indigo Way stash at Cotton to Quilts!

Our friends at Cotton to Quilts have pulled together some wonderful blue and neutral bundles to round out your stash - and yes, the two blue bundles, Indigo 1 and Indigo 2 are different with no fabrics repeating so if you purchase one of each, you get 40 different fabrics.

The rolls contain 20 cuts 8'' X 22'' equaling 2 1/3 yards per roll.

The solid red comes in a 3 yard cut. (remember to pre-wash!)

Recommended Tools:

This year we are using my Essential Triangle Tool along with the Tri Recs ruler set.

Peaky & Spike will also do the same unit as the Tri Recs and is also available.

Use coupon code NOTIONS to save 15% on all items in the Rulers, Notions & Tools category of the Quiltville Store. Code must be used for discount to apply.

I will not be giving Accuquilt die information as it reveals too much too soon.  As each clue comes out with each given finished unit size, you can easily find the corresponding die you need.

I will also provide traditional rotary cutting measurements for those who wish to work that way. 

Our first clue goes live 11/24/23 with additional clues being added each Friday until we reach completion, usually sometime in January.

I hope you are as excited as I am!

Our Craftours group watching how batiking is done with bees wax over hemp fabric - later to be overdyed with the indigo.  What a great workshop day!

(And yes, this is the same day that I fell when photographing the water buffalo and ended up making Silk Path in the aftermath.)

And of course, your Silk-Path PDF Pattern Gift-Away is still going strong HERE.  Enter to win!

Introductory Special: I have placed Silk Path at 25 % off in both the digital pattern section of the Quiltville Store and in the Quiltville Etsy Pattern Shop. 

Full color photos, step-by-step instructions included.

Quilt Size: 84’’ X 84’’

Sale price good through 11/15/23.  Hurry now and save - no coupon needed!

And yes - I'll be drawing for 2 winners who will each receive a Silk Path PDF pattern from me, and a Facets of Brown Color Roll from Cotton to Quilts.

Enter to win on the Gift-Away Post!

Tomorrow I'll be drawing for our winners in the Summit St Box Gift-Away. Get your entry in!

Oh, and one more thing -

I think I've covered all of the bases.  Go pull fabric!

We've all got something that pushes our buttons. We struggle for various reasons. Maybe it's health issues, financial issues, or after-effects of nature's wrath.

Anger may yank your chain, but don't let it hang on. 

Much love -

 

©2023 Bonnie K Hunter. All Rights Reserved. 

This mystery is given for personal use only. No part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying for sharing, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the author. 

Please no uploading and saving of this file with intent to share, email or distribute, either digitally or in hard copy. NOT FOR RESALE. 

Please send your friends to my blog to print their clues. Thank you!