This amazingly beautiful Hawaiian quilt was purchased by a family while in Hawaii. Now, 75 years later, this beauty is up for sale. While treasured by the family and never used, it is now organically hand washed and ready to belong to the next person.

All true Hawaiian quilts have the main pattern cut from one piece of fabric. Many times this means sewing huge pieces of fabric together to create one large piece of fabric. There are many traditional Hawaiian Patterns.

Hawaiian quilts are always quilted with an echo design pattern. The echo quilting resembles the waves in the ocean, so important to the way of life in Hawaii. All quilting here is 3/4" apart and executed with small even stitches. The separately applied binding is 1/2" in width and always matches the color of the main design.

Missionaries from New England brought patchwork quilting, reflecting their own learned style and techniques, to the Hawaiian Islands in the 1820's. Fabric scraps, flour sacks, and feed sacks the missionaries brought with them were distributed to Hawaiian women for use in their quilting bees. But Hawaiian clothing, cut straight and full, did not lend itself to scraps for saving to make quilts. Cutting new yardage into little scraps to sew back together into a quilt seemed futile and a wasted effort. It was a natural progression for these creative, artistic women to develop patterns of their own. Drawing on Hawaiian culture their quilt making became more individualistic and a reflection of their lives, history, and natural surroundings. Hawaiian women developed their own technique of cutting designs out of a large piece of folded fabric (similar technique to cutting out paper snowflakes), sometimes using a paper pattern of their creation, other times the designs were cut freehand. The cut fabric was then basted onto the background fabric, appliqued using tiny stitches, and hand quilted following the outline of their design.

This gorgeous Hawaiian quilt was created using the most commonly used style; a square design with either a broken or unbroken border, cut from fabric folded diaper-wise, eightfold. Once the border was cut the remaining large center piece was similarly cut folded to create the center medallion. Solid leaf green on a slightly off white ground, this intricate pattern's name is unknown, however it is similar to the 'Lei Mamo' pattern - the feather of the mamo bird favored by Hawaiian royalty. Graceful and quite elegant, this is a lovely example of the classic Hawaiian quilt.

Applique stitches are tiny and the hand quilting is executed beautifully in the traditional echo outlining of the design. The applied half inch binding is the same medium leaf green used for the interior design. The backing is the same off white used for the front. For sale on behalf of a private collector, this wonderful Hawaiian applique quilt can be sent to you on approval for private viewing.

I have searched for Hawaiian quilt patterns in order to name this quilt, to no avail. Appearing to be a Hawaiian pattern with all Turkey Red applique designs, echo quilted...actually they are quilted 1/4" apart! I do know that in 35 years I have never seen a quilt like this.

The white areas are cross hatched quilted on the diagonal 3/8" apart! The quilting is truly amazing, however, not the way a true Hawaiian quilt would have been quilted. The entire quilt would have been echo quilted. The applique, reverse applique, and quilting are outstanding...Not only do we have amazing graphics, but quilting among the best you will ever see.

The border is 6" in width. The treadle machine separately applied is 3/8" in width. Some red appliques are quilted with red thread, some quilted with white thread. One cannot see this without being very close. Turning the quilt over one can easily see the outstanding quilting.

Hard for me to covey this amazing work, this quilt needs to be seen to be truly appreciated.

Now hand washed with organic products, this amazing quilt is ready to be sent, with free shipping, for your approval.

This exquisitely designed quilt is all hand pieced, hand appliquéd and hand quilted. The creator has borrowed concepts from two different social backgrounds to create her piece of art. The 4 block formation was a design from the 2nd quarter of the middle part of the 19th century. The appliquéd motif is reminiscent of a Hawaiian design and may actually be a copy of such. This is beautifully appliquéd, reverse appliquéd and quilted with minuscule stitches. There are stars quilted in the raspberry pink center and around the center of the Hawaiian block. The 24 inch square blocks have an apx 2-1/2 inches of sashing around the blocks creating a visual of 4 separate blocks. The white areas around the appliqué have cross hatched stitching and the each appliqué piece has been outline quilted.

On opposite sides of the quilt the border white is 7-1/4 inches. Nine inch white borders make up the two opposing sides. The front is turned over to the back and stitched by hand for a finished binding. Turned over bindings were often used in Pennsylvania. The backing is a heavy duty cotton almost giving the appearance of linen. In apparently unused condition and now hand washed by Betsey, she is ready for a new home.