I started doing applique in the late 90's with Hawaiian applique patterns that were souvenirs that friends and family brought back from their vacations. Finally, in 2004 we planned a last minute, surprise Spring Break trip to the Big Island. (The surprise aspect of the trip is a whole different story!) Needless to say, I found the only quilt shop on the island pretty quickly. I called my Quilt
BFF Anna and said "I'm in a quilt shop...talk me down." Instead, she said "I'll pay for half, buy more." In addition to several books on the individual squares that I'd been making, I ended up with a couple large rectangle shaped florals and this amazing pattern. The proper name is "Fish on Coral" and it was designed by Elizabeth A
Akana under the EA of Hawaii label. (If any of you know her...please pass on my thanks...I love the pattern and I loved making it.) It was the perfect reminder of our snorkeling adventures and my first trip to Hawaii. As fate would have it, there was a fabric shop about a 1/2 mile from our hotel. I offered to be dropped off to shop in peace, then walk back to the hotel. The blue-green batik was just too perfect for this quilt. And surprisingly less expensive than what I was paying at
my LQS for batiks at the time. Needless to say, on the way home all the personal belongings got moved to the checked suitcase and my family was pressed into service helping me to bring this lovely fabric home in the carry-on luggage.
Here's a close up. It's hand applique and hand quilting.
The snail and the crab in the corner are my favorite parts of the pattern!!!
The quilt is 96" square. I finished the applique in a few months. Then it sat on the shelf waiting to be quilted. A couple years later, I put it on the quilt frame and discovered that all the curves were hard to do on the frame. After it was about 1/4 way done, I stitched sections of the quilt to serve as basting and moved this project to a lap frame. I made it my
"Joy in the New Year" challenge and finished the binding New Years Day 2010, nearly 6 years from the start.
Now that I have my quilt blogged, I can sit back and enjoy all the other quilts in the Bloggers Quilt Festival !
Very much good work!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations the beautiful quilt
What a ton of work! That snail is definitely just the cutest!
ReplyDeleteI really want to make a quilt like this one day, it is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI am amazed! Wonderful quilt.
ReplyDeleteI inhaled dramatically at the sight of this quilt. I love island style, and this is just stunning.
ReplyDeleteWhat a stunning quilt - thank you so much for sharing it! LOVE your blog.
ReplyDeleteYour quilt is stunning! I have a book of Hawaian patterns that I have been thinking about trying. I am afraid it might take me 6 years for one 15" block!
ReplyDeleteYou did a wonderful job on this beautiful quilt. I am glad that you stuck with it.
ReplyDeleteBarbara from Hawaii
love it!...you did a really great job...i'm curious as to what the packaging looked like that made you want to buy the pattern.
ReplyDeletei'm not really a fan of applique, but i really love what you did here!
amazing, I am speechless, beautiful
ReplyDeleteCongratulations
i lived in hawaii for a year and love hawaiian quilt styles. looks fabulous
ReplyDeleteI adore everything about this quilt. I love Hawaiian styles and you have made the quilt perfectly, plus that sea-coloured batik is to die for, buy more!!!
ReplyDeleteVery cool.
ReplyDeleteGreat job! It is a beauty!
ReplyDeleteWow! That is beautiful. I can't imagine doing all that work. Very nice!!
ReplyDeleteYour quilt is stunning! Beautiful pattern and extra ordinary work!!!
ReplyDeleteOooh. I've never seen a Hawaiin quilt design done with batiks before. Love it. The colors are gorgeous
ReplyDeleteHey, friend! Glad you joined the Bloggers' Quilt festival. I have as well. This quilt is a real testament to your applique addiction! Love it! Great work!
ReplyDeleteI really love this quilt-what a labor of love!
ReplyDeleteWow!
ReplyDeleteThis is just gorgeous. Thank you so much for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteFabulous quilt:)
ReplyDeleteWow! Absolutely stunning work - I am always in awe of applique and hand quilting!
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried my hand at Hawaiian applique yet - it's on my list for later this year. Looking at this is inspirational!
ReplyDeleteNice. I LOVE the fabric.
ReplyDeleteVery BEAUTIFUL quilt AND it is BEAUTIFULLY stitched too!!! The batik fabric is just 'perfect' for the design. Thanks for sharing your quilt and your work. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful quilt and a delightful story. I too have this pattern, but haven't yet started it. Still thinking about what fabric. I absolutely love the fabric and colors you selected. Excellent quilting too! Definitely an heirloom quilt!
ReplyDeleteSewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com
j'admire ce magnifique travail fabuleux
ReplyDeletewow, it is so beautiful. I love that snail, how cute is that.
ReplyDeletethis is absolutely stunning.
ReplyDeleteI just accidentally commented on your giveaway with my husband's account. Sorry!
ReplyDeleteO. My. Goodness. This is the biggest Hawaiian applique quilt you have ever seen! Six years seems like isn't long enough to do this! Fabulous!
ReplyDeleteWow, that is amazing! You're so talented.
ReplyDeleteBreathtaking work.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness - this is wonderful! The colors are beautiful and the amount of work to hand applique and quilt this is just staggering. It is a real treasure.
ReplyDeleteIt is a stunning applique quilt. I just finished reading "the Aloha Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini and enjoyed it very much.
ReplyDeleteI love batik fabrics and your fabric choice just makes this quilt sing.
Regards from a Western Canadian quilter,
Anna
http://quiltmomsjourney.blogspot.com/
Oh WOW! I am glad I stopped by, that is so impressive!
ReplyDeleteWowee!!!!!! That is just so beyond beautiful. Simply mega gorgeous. I am envious of anyone that can applique so stunningly well.
ReplyDeleteBEAUTIFUL not bad in only 6 years!
ReplyDeleteHi Marjorie...This quilt is simply stunning. Beautiful job, beautiful quilting and finished and bound.
ReplyDeleteI also have to thank you for commenting on Wedding Woolens. I know the gal whose quilt that is...her mother's name is also Marjorie, but is suffering from dementia...to get a good wish from "Marjorie" brought tears to her eyes. Good tears...we don't always know those who we touch.
But again, YOUR quilt is stunning!
Julie Baird
Amazing! I am in awe of Hawaiian quilts.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beauty! I've never seen anything like this!
ReplyDeleteLove the colors, the design and the quilting...thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletewhat a stunning quilt, thanks for sharing it. I love your southwest bird applique.
ReplyDeleteIf you go to my starley blog, you'll find my Moab Rock Art petrogylph quilt that you'd like.
Come see my antique quilt entries
http://utahquiltappraiser.blogspot.com
http://starleyquilts.blogspot.com
OMG, Marjorie, what a beautiful quilt! I can't believe you did all the hand quilting on that - it's gorgeous. What a great momento of your trip!
ReplyDeletei love hawaiian quilts and have since i first saw them as a student in college right behind the polynesian cultural center. i've never thought i could do one--so intricate. might try a simple design though--they fascinate me. this one is just exquisite--the material is so appropriate to the design and your quilting is wonderful. thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteI just had the loveliest visit here! Your applique is amazing and this quilt is an opus. I like the backstory and would love to see it in person, I bet it's even more stunning! Thanks for sharing this beautiful quilt.
ReplyDeleteIt is breath taking! Hawaiian quilts are a fascination of mine. I want to make one some day and hope that it turns out as amazing as yours did.
ReplyDelete