![Betty trapped in the basement with her mystery quilt](http://calamityquiltstudio.com/cdn/shop/articles/IMG_1443.jpg?v=1712748179&width=1100)
Everyone's a Mystery Writer: What If We Were All Trapped In The Basement?
Wanda ThomasShare
I was just explaining to an acquaintance today about my upcoming murder mystery quilt series. I told her I'd ended up writing a short novel, I was having so much fun. Being a creative person herself, let me relate the following details of Linda's creative mind about a plot I could use
- a quilter is being held captive in a basement
- her bad guy is selling her quilts in a local market store
- women (closet sleuths) who watch the new quilts being offered for sale notice they have special designs, and the design names are telling a story about how she needs help, and may lead to where she's being held
That was in 3 minutes folks. I'm reminded we all have a fun creative imagination, one of those delights we've gained over the years from reading countless books and stories.
These details are now like a jumping off point where my imagination can go wild. What if I was trapped in my basement quilt studio? Might be ok, for awhile if I had the following:
- All of my fabric and a computer to order more online, to be delivered
- Meals delivered at least twice a day, from the various wonderful restaurants in our little town of Red Lodge
- A massage therapist at least a couple times a week
- An elliptical exercise machine to keep in shape
- An espresso machine
- A tv so I could stream cozy mysteries series and rom com movies
- Laundry service
Would it really be so bad?
![quilting in the basement machine](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0683/0112/7971/files/IMG_1902_480x480.jpg?v=1712747679)
![quilting in the basement iron](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0683/0112/7971/files/IMG_1904_480x480.jpg?v=1712747720)
![quilting in the basement longarm](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0683/0112/7971/files/IMG_1905_480x480.jpg?v=1712747750)
Well I could go on and on. Maybe I could get some time outside in the fenced yard once in awhile.
Next I'd need to figure out a way to send a signal to other quilters that I'd been kidnapped? I have my book The Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns from Barbara Brackman. Maybe I could study and make quilts to send a message? Now my brain just shifted, I need to do a little research about what message I would send.
![Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0683/0112/7971/files/IMG_1900_480x480.jpg?v=1712747484)
There are historical references to Civil War Quilt Blocks and how designs were meant to tell a story.
![A Path To The Civil War](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0683/0112/7971/files/IMG_1901_480x480.jpg?v=1712747578)
Everyone has a plot or two rolling around in their heads. And I, being a new writer, have to figure out how to solve the case, find the who done it, finish the quilt.
The journey is the destination.
Calamity