CNT Pattern Company was six years old when Mom suggest I take my son to Bali, Indonesia to find out how hand dyed rayon is made. Mom owned a quilt shop which was stocked full of cotton. Her favorite was from a now very famous company called "Hoffman of California." She was one of the first shops to have hand-dyed cotton batik fabric.

After multiple plane rides and 26 hours of traveling, we landed in the magical land of Bali. The unique sounds of gamelan music could be heard as we walked through the airport, and we knew we were in for a unique adventure! Komong, our 26-year-old tour guide met us at our hotel. Though he knew very little about fabric, the Balinese people are so interconnected with one another that we soon had a list of fabric creators to visit!

For the first of three weeks, we drove through jungles and rice fields meeting innovators, looking at their beautiful fabrics, and choosing the small businesses we were interested in. The two weeks after, we chose colors and designs from their displays and our own paint chips. We also figured out how to place orders, and how to get their colorful fabrics back to the U.S. 

To incorporate our need to play, relax and sight see into the business trip, we took daily swims at an isolated pool near a serene temple. (This was more of a necessity, due to the 100 degree plus weather!)

Driving around the terraced rice patties, we saw this huge structure! Seen below, this represents both the male and female, to welcome spirit in and out of the growing area.

The spirit of Bali and it's people were deeply embedded in our thinking and behavior when my son and I returned home, and we felt a tug in our hearts remembering the laughter, friendliness, spirituality, and calm pace of life we experienced during our trip.

This spirit of Bali is not only found in their people, but also in the fabrics they create! Balinese fabric is one of a kind, just like their culture.