We’re home from the most amazing Hawaiian quit exhibit held in Yokohama, Japan… and here are a few quilts we wanted to share with you.

It was a huge undertaking that started back in 2012 when we first attempted to have all Eight Hawaiian Islands represented in our 2014 Hawaiian Quilt Exhibit at the Honolulu Festival.  Eight volunteers came forward to make  Six 90″x 90″ Island patterns designed by John Serrao and two Designed  by Certified Poakalani Teachers Kimi Kumagai and Nobuko Nakagawa.  All designated island flowers  in their designated island colors. Unfortunately at the 2014 Hawaiian Quilt Exhibit we were missing 1 island. It was a huge disappointment.  So in 2016 after the theme was decided for the 2017 Yokohama Quilt Exhibit, which were the prefecture flowers of Japan,  we again decided again to showcase the Hawaiian Island Quilts unfortunately now the Big Island of Hawaii quilt was no longer available as well as the Oahu Ilima, and of course poor Kahoolawe still needed to be completed.   So again three ladies volunteered to complete the missing quilts but this time they only had one year and they did it in record time.  So after many years  we were finally able to have a quilt exhibit with all eight quilts representing the eight islands and their designated flowers.  We also added the Hawaiian Flag Quilt by Tomiko Okada to complete this section of the exhibit. Please enjoy the beautiful quilts of Hawaii.  All in their island colors as well as flowers.  Thank you to all the ladies…Mie Tashiro, Yoshimi Suzuki, Takako Jenkins, “Hana” Yoko Nakamura, Chikako Asano, Kimi Kumagai, and Nobuko Nakagawa who volunteered their time, money and labor to make this quilt exhibit successful.  Our awesome ladies.  Sorry everyone these patterns are personal designs and  not available on the commercial market

” Na Pua O Pu’u Wai” Flowers of The Heart  Hawaiian Quilt Exhibit”.  47 Prefecture Flower Design Quilts and more… lots more. It’s going to be amazing.  Our certified instructors and some of their students will displaying  “NEW” quilts.  3 Generations of Quilters.  Master Quilter Kupuna John, His students and now their students…  We’re so proud. 

…okay not so blue but oh so warm. Humidity in the islands these past few weeks have been record breaking.  So put your quilting aside and applique is the name of the game.  Our Bible Series with designs of flowers mentioned in the Bible and found throughout the regions where Christianity was born.  

…In the year 1820 on the Brig “Thaddeus”  a meeting between the missionary women and several high ranking wives of Kamehameha I gathered to what is known today as the first quilting circle.  It was the start of an amazing cultural art that is still practiced  today. The missionaries also brought with them a new religion and the teachings of the Bible.  With the Bible the  Hawaiian were introduced to  amazing stories of far off places, people and especially  the three divine virtues of hope, love and charity.  This book is dedicated to all those who find comfort in the “Word” .

It’s been a busy year so again sad to say there will be no class on August 5 and we’ll  see everyone back on August 12.  But I’ll leave you with this amazing applique by Susan. Ti Leaf design with a floating lei  ready to be quilted.  

It was  a nice surprise to see Ikumi at class on Saturday.  She was homesick for Hawaii and we’ve been missing our Ikumi.  She shared her next quilt of Whales swimming in the ocean below the Makapuu Lighthouse. Her design and it’s beautiful.  Great Job Ikumi. Glad you came home for a short visit.  

Thank you Hiromi for making a special trip to our class so we can admire your completed queen size quilt the “Cup Of Gold”. So beautiful and the colors reminds me of those days in the 60’s and 70’s when the Hawaiian quilt colors were bold and strong.  

Bird of Paradise

Tomiko lives in Kobe, Japan and we had the amazing opportunity to meet 20 years ago when she first started attending Poakalani’s Hawaiian quilting class when  we were teaching at the Queen Emma Summer Palace.   I am honored and humbled to call Tomiko my sister of the heart.  She is one of the best appliquer and quilter of Hawaiian quilting. She is also known for her binding and unique quilting lines that she uses to enhance her quilts.  If you ever have a chance to take classes from her you can say you are learning from one of the BEST.  

More commissioned quilts by Pat.

… and John would say, “They breathe life and spirit into my designs.”