Aʻohe mea koe ma kūʻono.
Nothing remains in the corners.
Said of one who is extremely generous giving freely without reservation.
ʻŌlelo Noʻeau 187
Needle turn applique is the technique of turning the raw edge of the design under and sewing it to the background fabric. It takes time and patience but when the applique is done you know you’re halfway to completing your quilt. The applique of the top green design to the background fabric was completed by Rae, Cissy, Barbara, Carla, Pat, Molokai Yuko, Kathie and Yoko of Japan, Rula currently from Alaska and Hawaii Jenn. It truly was a labor of time, patience and love.
After the design was appliqued to the background fabric we started on the Island Lei. Hawaii has eight major islands: Hawaii Island, Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai Oahu, Kauai and Niihau, the lei represents the main islands of our archipelago Papahanaumokuakea their designated color and flower. The designs were cut with difficulty and care and basted to the top green fabric by Camille from Canada, Kaelene and Cissy
We decided to just add the flowers to the top of the original green design instead of a cut and replace style; we preferred a more shadow effect to the quilt. Mahalo Kae and Camille
It took several months to applique the flowers to the top green design. We are living by the saying John always quoted. “No two flowers are alike”