Instructions for Hawaiian Quilts
Hawaiian quilts have distinguishing characteristics like the use of strong colors and intricate appliqued shapes. These quilts gain inspiration from nature with many symmetrical designs resembling pineapples, palm fronds and bright flowers. The designs require patience and skill to execute.
Hawaiian Applique Designs
Authentic Hawaiian applique design begins with a piece of paper. A large piece of paper is folded several times and a design is cut, much like a paper snowflake. Most Hawaiian quilts use large shapes and blocks.
Design a Hawaiian motif by experimenting with different shapes and patterns cut on the paper. Intricate, lacy designs are the most common on Hawaiian quilts and make them difficult to sew. A simple, always symmetrical, leafy shape, however, will make the grade.
With a design in hand, the applique fabric is folded in exactly the same manner as the paper. Pinning the (re-folded) paper design to the folded fabric gives the quilter the ability to reproduce the motif. Make the fabric piece a few inches larger than the paper. This extra allows for a 1/2 inch or 1/4 inch seam allowance. Cutting through folded layers of fabric requires sharp scissors.
Sewing Hawaiian Quilts
Sewing one piece of fabric to the top of another creates an "applique." Either divided in blocks or covering an entire blanket, applique quilts have fabric designs sewn onto a foundation piece of fabric. Appliques are attached with different methods. Because of the intricacy of Hawaiian motifs, quilters often use the needle-turn method.
Needle-turn applique begins with the cut fabric design pinned to the base fabric, usually a fabric quilt block. The needle is drawn up through the base layer of fabric from below. Before pulling the needle through the applique design, the quilter carefully folds under or hems the edges of the design. The needle is, then, pushed through the fold on the hem and inserted back into the base layer. Complicated Hawaiian patterns require small stitching to keep the thread invisible.
The actual quilting of Hawaiian quilts is, surprisingly, simple. Three layers of fabric sewn together qualifies as a quilt. The types of stitching holding the layers together varies. Hawaiian quilts, in most cases, use simple straight lines of stitching. The process of sewing Hawaiian appliques makes for a lengthy project and takes patience.
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