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What Color is Indigo?

My first advice is . . don’t struggle with your decision about indigo fabric.  Some charts put it as what I would call a dark navy and some put it as a lavenderish purple.  If this link works, it will give you a good range.

To those who commented that I was quick about my indigo quilt . . yes!  I am so ready to get back to my old life.  For a full year, I was working on the next book.  Not really “working” on it but it was always on my mind.  Now it’s selling the house, finding a house, moving  . I want to my day to day routine back . . get up, fix breakfast, sew all day, fix dinner, sew til bed time.  That’s my calling!  🙂

Even though I haven’t been able to make a lot of the monochromatic quilts, I was so ready to sew that I knew I was going to get started right away on an indigo quilt.  Yes . . some of you are thinking I sew more than anyone you know but lately I haven’t been sewing enough!

Here’s the design I came up with for the indigo quilt.


I don’t have enough of the dot fabric so I’m going to use it in the background around the blocks and then in the border area, I may have to use a plain ecru background fabric.  And, the colors in the drawing are not indigo . . they’re just some colored I used in the drawing.

And do you want to see my first block?  Of course you do!  🙂

You would all laugh so hard if you knew how hard I’m struggling with that dot fabric.  It’s so not tone on tone and I’m way out of my comfort zone with it.  I need to hurry up and make some more blocks or I’m going to change my mind about using it.  I like how it’s turning out but it’s really hard to use something with that much . . dot!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Judy, grin and get on with it!!! That DOT makes your block pop!!!

  3. I love the dot!!! Challenge yourself to use it up……I dare you! 🙂
    If in the end you don’t like it, there is a teen girl out there that would be thrilled with it. I double dog dare you. 😉

  4. Oh, I feel your pain … the uneasiness of continuing, feeling uncomfortable, doubting yourself, struggling with each step of the process – but that polka dot sure is working for that block. Maybe this feeling will pass – or speed up your sewing – take the plunge and let go of the control – it is so freeing. Will follow your progress with interest and compassion. Judy C

  5. I like that block – looks great in Indigo (whatever colour you choose indigo to be) . I had 1 piece of fabric that was *perfect* indigo. But only 1/4 yard of it. So, I’m taking your advice and mixing in some “almost indigo” to round out the quilt.

  7. Oh, I LOVE that dot fabric! It does really make your block pop. It’s almost as if the center indigo area is floating in space. Another winner!

  8. All of the fabrics look great together! I especially love the one making up the friendship star pieces of the block – gorgeous. The dots set it all off so nicely, can’t wait to see it when you have more blocks done.

  9. I like the block and dot fabric makes it pop. Though I admit dots aren’t my favorite. I felt the same way about paisleys not liking it. until I used paisley fabric for a stack and whack. I love paisleys now. So, keep on keeping on. That is going to be a beautiful quilt. And, Judy, I hear you about wanting routine.My machine is calling to me, but I haven’t have time to do much sewing because of taking some classes. I keep imagining a house in the woods with rain coming down and sewing without interruption. That is the “life”. 🙂
    Trina

  11. I like it. I adore purples and use them all the time in my yarn dyeing, but there are blue purples and red purples and sometimes they do not live with each other. So you finding nice matches is really great.

  14. I understand about routines and getting in your sewing. The last thing I’m gonna pack up to move is my sewing machine. Since we started preparing to move I’ve made sure to alternate packing time with sewing time. I may actually be doing more sewing this way!

  17. Stick with the dots!
    There is a plaque in my neighborhood about Eliza Lucas who introduced the indigo plant to the South. It was used to dye cotton a dark blue.

  18. I love dots, all dots make me happy, I really like the candy dots too! I have been struggling with the indigo color as well and decided for me it was more like a dark navy blue. Now my problem is every pattern I look at seems the quilt will be too dark. I am sure I’ll work something out.

  19. I like the dots. It does give it a more fun, youthful feel than if it was a solid or a small floral print! It’s a fabric I would have bought!

    The whole indigo debate … it’s new to me that you see it as purple. I’ve always thought indigo was the same as navy blue. But my daugher says I don’t knowt he difference between aqua and turquoise, either.

  20. I love that quilt pattern and I think the dots will look really cool. It’s good to step out of your comfort zone. I can’t wait to see the finished product.

  21. I also love dots….and red is my favorite color. You can’t go wrong on a good dot fabric, lol.

    I am glad they didn’t make you pack up all your sewing supplies, fabric, longarm, etc while waiting to sell your house. Can you imagine how stir crazy you would be if you couldn’t sew everyday? Sure hope you get to feeling settled soon. I like to have a routine and don’t like change. Some would call that boring. Are you like me?

  22. Wow, I can SO relate to your routine! I haven’t really been able to sew for about 3 weeks, since we are moving too, (but not lock stock and barrel), we are renting a 2nd home. So, I have been spending my time cleaning it and setting up my new sewing room, deciding what I need and what I can do without. I AM going nuts tho, from NOT sewing everyday. No one “gets” it. I finally just sat down yesterday and drug out some UFO’s but I can’t cut anything really yet, I need to get some PVC pipe to raise my table, and bought a banquet table for my ironing, but soon, everything will be “right” and I can get my “life” back. And no, I cant imagine what it would be like to be in Joplin and have almost NO life to get back to. I do get the difference…

  23. I agree with Judy D in WA; but I will jump right to the coup de grace of all dares and triple dog dare you.
    I am excited to see the outcome, it looks like it will be a wonderful quilt.

  24. Maybe it’s not tone-on-tone, but it is fun! In the overall quilt, you won’t be seeing those colors, so go for it!

    I laughed at the title. After your post about pulling indigo fabrics, I went searching for a definition of “indigo.” Wikipedia has four (4!!) definitions, so everyone trying to meet this challenge has a lot of leeway.

  26. Mz Judy I love the whole quilt layout, wonderful idea.

    It is so great too, that the checks are totaling up. I myself have 5 quilts to bind to send to Joplin soon. So that is my donation.

  28. Great block! Indigo is a color I think of as very deep, but of course hues are encompassed in a monochromatic definition!

    I adore dots and can hardly think of a quilt I’ve made that HASN’T had dots, LOL!

  29. I REALLY like that block. I know what you mean about getting back to your regular routine too!

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