Quilted in Paradise: Hawaiian Quilts

by Marge E.

Quilts of Hawaii have a unique style all their own.  They are easily recognized by their distinctive design elements and handwork.

Traditional Hawaiian quilt patterns are based on native flora and fauna of the tropical islands.  Naturally, Hawaiian women created designs from the world that surrounded them… plants, rainforest flowers, fish and sea creatures.

The quilts are not “patchwork”, in the traditional sense, as are colonial quilts- with many blocks sewn together.  Instead, Hawaiian quilts are a whole cloth, with elaborate stitched designs appliqued on top.

The floral designs are cut from a piece of folded cloth. The opened cloth reveals the intricate design. Remember cutting snowflakes from folded paper?  Same technique!

Fabric colors are usually solids, either bright or pastel, stitched onto a white or neutral background.  They remind me of pressed flowers, against a sunlit sky!

The hand quilting is done with white thread, “echo style”, matching the background. Batting, if used, is often just another layer of white cotton or muslin.  The finished quilts and blankets are perfect for use on cool tropical nights.

“A thing of beauty is a joy forever, its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness”, so poet John Keats reminds us.  I think he must have been referring to Hawaiian quilts.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 9th, 2012 at 11:54 am. It is filed under Handmade. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.