Next Steps In The Hawaiian Quilting Saga

The easy part of my first Hawaiian quilt block is now over; the applique process went very quickly, and as such I have started second and third pieces.  I'm now quite sure that needle-turning is one of my favorite sewing techniques - something I certainly didn't expect during my first two hours of this project! 

Next comes the more challenging part of the work - quilting the block by hand.  As this 22" block was intended for use as a throw pillow cover, I went ahead and made a sandwich of the applique piece, organic cotton quilt batting, and the backing broadcloth.

To secure the "quilt sandwich," I basted 1/2 inch from the edge all around the block.  To keep the piece from shifting or bunching during hand quilting, I also basted diagonally and in quarters across the entire square.  It was then ready to be put into my new 14" hand quilting hoop.

I started hand quilting in the center of the motif, and I'll be working my way outward to keep the work even as I go.  This is by far the most difficult part of the process for me, as I rarely sew with a thimble and as such I'm not yet used to having a chunk of metal on my fingertip.  The rocking motion of the quilt stitch is also taking some getting used to, as well as trying to focus on stabbing through all of the layers of the sandwich.  My stitches are uneven, but I'm sticking with it!  I can only get better at hand quilting the more I stitch!