Hawaiian Fabric

 Last summer while we were in Kauaʻi, I bought this beautiful batik fabric at Vicki’s quilt shop. Vicki designed the fabric line herself, and I fell in love with the island colors right away.

I wanted to turn it into something that would remind me of our time there, especially all the tropical plants and the sea turtles we loved seeing.

For the designs, I folded the fabric and cut it much like I used to cut paper snowflakes as a child. I drew my own templates and used them to create turtles, flowers, leaves, and other island-inspired shapes.

I believe this technique is closest to Hawaiian appliqué, where a symmetrical design is cut from folded fabric and placed onto a contrasting background. Traditional Hawaiian quilt patterns often have that same wonderful paper-snowflake feeling.

My plan is to quilt around each shape to hold it securely in place, then turn the finished row into a wall hanging for our bedroom.

For now, this is where the project stands. Bright, tropical, slightly unruly, and already carrying so many happy memories of Kauaʻi. I’m sure the finished version will make another appearance here eventually. 🌺🐢