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Construction Type: Applique and traditionally pieced
Recommended Sewing Level: Intermediate
Quilt Size(s): Baby, Throw, Twin
If you have ever been to any of the Hawaiian Islands, you’ll understand our love for them. It took only a few minutes after getting off the plane the first time for me to fall in love. The weather is the perfect temperature all the time, you don’t need to use much lotion, the smell of plumeria blossoms in the air, the colors from all of those tropical flowers and the flavors. I could go on and on.
When we decided to do an island themed quilt series, hula dancers had to be on our list. I love that they use dance to tell stories. I think it is such a fun way to pass down things from one generation to another. The movement in the dancing is mesmerizing. I wanted to bring that movement into these dancers. Luckily Kimie is really good at giving me that movement so our little hula dancers were born.
Because you know I can’t resist adding 3-d texture to our kids quilts, the lava lavas needed to look like they were wrapped around each of the dancers.
When it came to determining the accent blocks for this quilt, it was a no brainer, it had to be waves. What else would you expect from an island themed quilt.
Just like all of our kids quilts, this pattern can be used for so much more than just quilts. Make pillows, wall hangings, and bags to go with your quilt and bring some island paradise to someone you love.
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FAQ's:
- How do I make sure that my templates are the right size?
- We include a 1” square on all of our templates. This way if you purchase a PDF version and need to print it out, you can ensure that it is the right size. You’ll want to make sure that your printer doesn’t default to the fit to page setting that some do. Print it at actual size and then double check that square.
- How do I applique around the small pieces on the kids?
- This pattern is not one we would recommend for an applique beginner because there are a few small pieces and small sections. However, don’t be intimidated by the small hands and shoes. The trick is to go slow. I have a setting on my machine for half speed and it’s my best friend when appliqueing. If you don’t have this setting, just remind yourself to slow down. I also sew with my needle down, this makes it easier to lift and adjust as needed around those smaller pieces. I don’t worry too much about reducing my thread length for those smaller sections because I pick a thread that matches the fabric. This way it blends in any little errors and you will be the only one to know about them.
- What foot do you use while appliqueing?
- I have an open end foot that works great. The reason I love this foot is because it doesn’t cover what is coming up and makes it so that I can easily adjust to the curves and edges of the pieces.
- What should I do if the darker fabrics show through the lighter fabrics when I applique?
- I’ve run into this when I’ve used darker skin colors with lighter leotards/clothes. To minimize this, I do one of the following:
- First option: Line the lighter fabric with a second layer, either of the same color or a neutral.
- Second option: Line the lighter fabric with some interfacing, like the stuff you use for collars in shirts. This method won’t minimize it as much as the first one, but it does help a little. It also doesn’t add as much additional bulk as the first option.
- How do I prevent wavy borders?
- Measure your quilt before adding the borders instead of sewing them on and trimming them. We have a tutorial on our You Tube channel that goes over how to measure your quilt for borders. You can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-Fnb4SZ3L4&t=1s
- I’ve run into this when I’ve used darker skin colors with lighter leotards/clothes. To minimize this, I do one of the following:
Here is a list of our YouTube video tutorials that may be helpful as you put this quilt together. There are many others as well so you might want to check out our channel and subscribe so you are notified when we upload new videos.
Favorite Quilting Tools: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ujd6UIbojQk
Raw Edge Applique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il4nZu5y2Bw&t=9s
Skill Builder Finish (sashing, keeping things square): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3H3w4OR_VA
Attaching Borders: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-Fnb4SZ3L4&t=1s
Learn to Quilt (Machine Binding): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ4245viGX4
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Different Color ways
We love to play with color and have provided you with a few different color ways to consider for this quilt. We hope it helps inspire you to create your own version of our quilt.
