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During my time improving my hand quilting, I began doing some Hawaiian appliqué.
At a quilt show I bought a kit - someone else had cut out a "snowflake" that hardly
looked like any snowflake I could imagine (more like an aloe vera plant with four spikes).
I chose the prettiest fabric already cut out, and began the task. Trying to deal with a
white on white background is not fun, but I did it, and decided the next time around
I wanted to do the entire process myself. After reviewing several books, I settled
on Mary Caesar's book on flowers. It had a large pattern in it, and the paper didn't
look too complex. I returned to the local quilt shop where I taught and was told when
choosing fabric that my color choice was poor; it should be more monotone. Huh?
Monotone. Sounds boring. So I went with my instinct and chose a bright yellow.
The shop owner was horrified. She said it would "jump out" at everyone and take
over. I countered with this is only my first, and maybe the last, and I wanted
to work with colors I wanted to work with, so yellow it would be for the background.
Then I went to work. Was I in for a reality check after cutting it out - those inside
curves were a very tight turn and there were too many inside points to count. However,
the fabric was fabulous and the design delightful, so I proceeded. After completing the
appliqué, I began another, this time in red and black. I didn't consult the shop owner
of that choice. I mean, how hard is it to mess up red and black?
I am in the stages of completing the yellow backed one,
and am down to the last stages of hand quilting the border. Yes, I put a border on
it too. Totally unconventional in the world of Hawaiian quilting, but who says you
have to do everything the same? It's nearly ready; the yellow has LOTS of background
echo quilting, the flowers are orchid color with hot pink quilting, the leaves are a
multi green with pink quilting, and the border is being quilted in yellow.
Unconventional - yes. Distinctive - yes. Will you remember it when seen?
Certainly! It's name? Hawaiian Punch!
©2003 Malia Webb
www.MaliasQuilting.com
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