How to Make the Wai Wai Moa Stitch

The wai wai moa stitch resembles a chicken's foot.

The Hawaiian quilting tradition is known for vibrant colors, patterns that tell a story and appliqué and embroidery stitch details. One popular embroidery stitch in Hawaiian quilting is the “wai wai moa” stitch — in English, the chicken feet stitch or the crow’s foot stitch. Run this decorative three-pronged stitch around the edge of appliqué blocks to secure them or along a quilt border for an old-fashioned embellishment.

Things You'll Need

• Embroidery needle
• Embroidery floss or quilting thread
• Quilt top or appliqué piece

Instructions

1. Thread an embroidery needle with embroidery floss or quilting thread in your color of choice.

2. Bring the needle up from the bottom of the quilt top or appliqué piece. Move down and to the right in a short diagonal line and push the needle back down through the fabric.

3. Bring the needle up directly above where you just went in, slightly higher than the initial starting point. Move down vertically and push the needle back through the fabric in the same bottom point as you made in Step 2.

4. Bring the needle up to the right of the first two stitches, parallel to the top of the far left stitch. Push the needle back through the fabric into the same bottom point, creating a diagonal line moving down and left. The resulting three-pronged stitch should resemble a bird’s foot.

5. Repeat this stitch around an appliqué piece or quilt border. Ensure that when you move from one chicken foot to the next, you’re always traveling the thread along the quilt’s reverse side to maintain the integrity of the wai wai moa stitch.

Tips & Warnings

• If you’re using the chicken feet stitch to secure an appliqué, you have two options: put the three “toes” on the appliqué and the “heel” on the quilt top or vice versa. Ensure that each stitch connects the appliqué to the background fabric.

References

• Rittenhouse Needlepoint; Stitch of the Week: Crow's Foot; February 2010
• Hawaiian Quilting: Sidebar on Deborah "Kepola" Umiamaka Kakalia
• Hawaiian Quilting: Weekly Picture Page
• Quilts Hawaii: FAQ: Quilting the Applique
• Arts & Designs: Cross Stitch, Needlework and Embroidery Glossary: Crow's Foot Stitch
• Hart Cottage Quilts: Adire Alabere — Stitched Resist
• Star Bulletin: Hawaiian Quilter Taught Thousands