Hawaiian Quilting With Poakalani & Co.
… and Exploring the Art of Hawaiian Quilt designing with John Serrao
When the years swiftly pass us by and our eyes and hands age with time the amazing quilting ladies of the palace always offer a helping hand for our kupuna. Thank you Naomi of Kobe Japan who is a certified instructor for cutting out “Our” Wilma’s quilt and for all the ladies who took the…
A quilt for a friend who loves those furry friends and their meow’s. Two are in heaven and one is her best friend. Memory quilts of those we cherish. Designed and quilted by Naoko. Reverse applique. Click on the photo to see a close up the quilt. Naoko is one of my favorite quilters. Her…
We love when our quilters are home for a short visit and it’s all about Oooh’s and Ahhhh’s. Love these ladies and miss them when they’re not here but they’ve been busy cutting and laying our their larger quilts. So beautiful. All quilts designed by John Serrao EXCEPT that beautiful Red and Blue and Orange…
Quilted by Wilma, Designed by John Serrao 60″ x 90″
Whales in Motion – John’s newest Sea life design for our amazing ocean friends. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao The Hawaiian word for whale is “Palaoa” It is also the name of the Hawaiian neck ornament used by the Hawaiian chiefs. The ivory hook on the lei/necklace is called the “Niho Palaoa” because…
This past Friday was an amazing day for our family. We went to the Hukilau Market Place in Laie to see the unveiling of our great-uncle Tutu Hamana’s statue at the entrance of the Polynesian Cultural Center. Tutu Hamana was known in his hometown for not only his active role in the first Hukilau but…
One of my favorite quilts depicting my Hawaii. Palm trees, Canoes and Rainbows. Quilted by Takako Jenkins. Designed by John Serrao 90″ x 90″. Before designing a quilt John always asks the quilter, “What is Your Story” and from there he is able to design quilts depicting a magical place in time, a favorite…
After designing your pattern sometimes it’s a good idea to cut it out on paper first before cutting it out on fabric. That way you can see the full design, double check the size, and also make any changes. When John first started designing he used masking tape to join newsprint paper to the size…
The Cupid Quilt, designed and quilted by Sophie Ventura. As you can see there is no symmetrical design, just cupid and hearts placed on a background fabric and than sewn and quilted by machine. Aunty Sophie made this quilt in one day as a gift for her husband. Yes, she made it the day before…
Renovation Update The renovations of the archives building(where we quilt) is tentatively scheduled to begin in May. Because it’s only for a month(I hope) we will be taking a short break/vacation unless we can find a temporary home during May. So please check my website and Facebook for any updates. Pictured left: The ladies…
The Monsterra a very popular Hawaiian quilt design because of its bold large leaves. Click on the graphic and watch John and his magic pencils create the actual design seen here. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao from the Poakalani Serrao Family Quilt Collection.
We live in a very tiny condo in the area they call Lower Nuuanu and/or Liliha . And because of the lack of space most of Poakalani’s cushion quilts were framed and hung on the wall. As you can see(sorry about the bad pic, took it at night and my cats love to play with them,…
The hibiscus and ti leaf two of Hawaii’s most recognized native plants. The Ti Leaf for good luck in the shape of the Kahili and the Hibiscus it’s crowning glory. 45″ x 45″ Designed by John Serrao The Hawaiians would cut the stalk of the Ti Leaf and curl back the leaves so it would…
Quilts in progress and some of the awesome ladies.
Using a plain backing showcases the tiny quilting stitches and its amazing design.