God, we love blue. Indigo, the bluest of blues, we love even more than most shades that define this quintessential hue of the spirit. Silk Road Spaceship has access to a treasure trove of antique indigo textiles from Mali for a limited time. Each piece is one-of-a-kind, and you'll find so many ways to use them, especially now. We're calling this one The Grooves for how the dyer stitched and tied the cloth, leaving behind a stunning pattern that feels like a sonic pattern.
Take flight to a park, a beach, an outdoor soiré with a Vintage Indigo shawl tucked in your bag. They make fantastic picnic blankets, beach towels, and sarongs. Come evening, drape one of these beauties over your shoulders to curb the chill. Then, when it's time to come inside, your blue beauty over your sofa or table for instant bohemian sophistication.
When it started to get exported in trade routes and found its way to Greek and Rome around 300 BC, they named the pigment 'indikon' meaning 'from India,' and it was considered a luxury item. It attracted the name "blue gold" for its strong performance as a high-value trading commodity. A little "Blue Gold" will go a long way, rebooting your weary spirit and sprucing up your social life this summer.
THE DETAILS:
• Six narrow and two wider loomed cotton pieces stitched together to create a generous panel
• Overall measurements: 48 inches x 48 inches, making it an ideal selection for a wide variety of uses--even light and bright summer throw blanket
• Resist dyed pattern of dots and dashes feels like a secret code, pieced with alternating panels of butterflies
• Heirloom Indigo textiles have character and patina (so do we!); any 'imperfections' are a part of its beauty
• Soft yet sturdy, this panel has a charming, uneven edge and frayed finish
ABOUT INDIGO MUD CLOTH:
African artisans hand-dye symbols into these fabrics in order to tell stories of their villages and African proverbs. They are individually hand-spun, hand-woven and hand-painted. Each piece is different and no two are exactly alike.
Authentic mud cloths are several panels stitched together and have a raw edge possibly needing to be reinforced, if they are to be used for projects. Due to the handmade nature of these traditional mudcloths, they may contain imperfections that lend to a truly unique piece of history.
Vintage Indigo Blanket Scarf: The Grooves
Since its discovery about 5000 years ago, Indigo has not failed to fascinate us with its mysterious way of changing shades continuously, as it ages and wears away. Just like us, at each stage of its life it will look different and surprise us with a new, unique shade of blue. This quality of Indigo and appreciation for handmade crafts has once again brought this mysterious color to the fore. Like the color of the sky and sea, natural Indigo is very much living around us.
