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 Mali Memories II -- a softer, sister cloth of the Mali Memories design offered in a separate listing. We love the soft, 'broken-in' feel of this piece, complete with a stunning pattern reminiscent of chromosomes, fishbones, and diamonds.
Do you remember hanging with your friends? Heal your socially depleted, quarantined psyche with a swath of Vintage Indigo. Things are opening up, masks are coming off, and we can get together again, stretching out together under a blue sky.
Gather up your people and get to the park with one of these beautiful vintage indigo panels from Mali. They make fantastic picnic blankets, beach towels, shawls, 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 Indigo 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:
• Three loomed cotton pieces stitched together to create a generous panel
• Overall measurements: 60 inches x 40 inches, making it an ideal selection for a sarong or shawl
• Resist dyed patterns reminiscent of chromosomes, fish bones, and diamonds
• Heirloom Indigo textiles have character and patina (so do we!); any 'imperfections' are a part of its beauty
• A 'broken in' softness characterizes this cloth, with some gorgeous fading like a pair of your favorite jeans
• This piece has hand-tied fringe on one side, a simple frayed edge on the opposite end
THE DETAILS:
• Three loomed cotton pieces stitched together to create a generous panel
• Overall measurements: 60 inches x 40 inches, making it an ideal selection for a sarong
• Resist dyed patterns reminiscent of chromosomes, fish bones, and diamonds
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 Shawl: Mali bound
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.
