In the interest of interest itself, here’s some topography for you.  In my quest to deliver a kid friendly map of the Big island of Hawaii through fabric, I thought some topography was in order.  I also found a great online map through Wikipedia, gosh I love you Wiki!

But first, while browsing for some inspiration, I found some.

I bring you felt:

Ivy:

Passerina Chris:

Leah Evans:

These artists are no doubt beyond talented.  If it wasn’t for my Island Trails quilt order, I may have never researched “topographic quilts”.  I’m so glad I did.  One major difference between these quilts and mine is, use.  I’m quilting for a baby, which means I need to be practical.  Lots of snuggling and washing.  100 % cotton will do the trick for my needs.  Also, layering different elevations can make a quilt top very stiff, so I’m wanting as few layers as possible.  My quilt pales in comparison to the inspiration I’m showing you.  However, its simplicity is just where I’m headed.

The Big Island of Hawaii Topographic Map:

Island Trails:

So there you have it.  I’m ready for the next step.  I was planning on hand stitching the locations, but now I’m thinking I should applique the simple designs first.  My fear is having to work around the location names.  I may decide to hand stitch the names on the designs, so in that case I need to get them on first.  You see where I’m going right?  Ha, kidding.  I can imagine how confusing this is since it’s still fuzzy in my head.  Well off I go, the cutesy island appliques are next.  Hopefully it won’t be too busy and will tie together nicely.

♥ R