Under the Lychee Tree

Kauai Quilt & Fiber Show 2012 Fabric Printing Class

2011-12-18T10:41:00.001-08:00

Lea Ingram will be teaching a fabric printing class at the Kauai Quilt & Fiber Show, Saturday, March 17th. Students will be printing on fabric with leaves and found objects. Here is a photo from a previous fabric printed class.

Example of fabric printed table cloth by Lea Ingram.For more information on Lea Ingram and her quilts please go to her website:

The Artistry of m. Lea Ingram
For sign up sheet for class please see my previous Kauai Quilt & Fiber Show blog.

2012 Kauai Quilt & Fiber Show

2011-11-20T10:57:00.000-08:00

Kauai is a small island in the Pacific but is one of the best islands to view quilts and fiber arts in Hawaii. The annual Kauai Quilt & Fiber Show is scheduled for March 2012 at the Church of the Pacific. Below are the links for Schedule of Classes and Sign up sheet for registration.

Class Schedule

North Shore Quilt & Fiber Show March 2011

2011-02-21T14:15:00.000-08:00

I've been lost in Blogland, admiring everyone else's work & inspirations, but I've made my way out finally to post again.

I have some news to share, the Quilters of Kauai are having their annual show, March 25th & 26th at the Church of the Pacific in Princeville on Kauai. The month of March will also have many events & classes in conjunction with the Quilt Show. Some of the events include Fabric Bingo & a lecture by doll maker Elinor Peace Bailey. Many talented quilters from Kauai will also be teaching classes.

Follow these links for schedule & sign up form.

Kauai Quilt Show Schedule

Kauai Quilt Show Class Signup Form

Here are some pictures from last year's show:

Talented quilter, doll maker, machine embroidery expert, and friend to all quilters, Jeni Hardy who dedicates many of her days & nights to put on the North Shore Quilt & Fiber Show.

Hand Quilting Demonstration By: Eileen Sanders

Tea & Quilt Pattern Tracing with Grove Farm Museum

My Calla Lily Hawaiian Quilt adapted from Grove Farm Museum pattern archives.

If you are on Kauai the month of March, come join the fun!

Mahamoku House Quilt Exhibit

2009-05-06T13:12:00.000-07:00

I'm continuing the Hanalei Quilt Week with a tour of the Mahamoku House built in 1914 by Mabel Wilcox. When you first enter the door a table with quilt top displays biographies of five island quilters. Quilts displayed in main living room.
Poinsettia quilt displayed on punee (sleeping bench) that circles the living room. This quilt is quilted using geometric squares instead of the traditional echo quilting like most Hawaiian quilts. Many unfinished quilt tops were also displayed.

May 9th this quilt with be part of the special workshop seminar on washing delicate quilts. My favorite quilt is this Pua Nana La (sunflower quilt). Close up of stipple quilting inside flower. A close up of echo or wave quilting on sunflower quilt. A beautiful green and white Mokihana quilt. Mokihana is the traditional lei material of Kauai. I would like to thank the Grove Farm Museum for organizing this lovely & educational exhibit of the Wilcox quilts so sad it lasts only one week. I very much enjoyed sitting on the lanai (porch) at the Mahamoku House with the ocean breezes dancing on the hand stitched waves of the Hawaiian quilts. The Grove Farm Museum & Wailoi Mission House are open year around for tours.

Aloha from the Mahamoku House Quilt exhibit.

The Wilcox Quilt Exhibit in Hanalei

2009-05-05T16:38:00.000-07:00

It's a special week in Hanalei, May 2nd thru 9th the Grove Farm Museum is sharing the Wilcox quilts with the community in the wonderful settings of Waioli Mission House & Makamoku Museums. If you can't attend, here are some images I'd like to share with you. First stop the Waioli Mission House built in 1836 by Abner & Lucy Wilcox.
Take off your shoes, you are in Hawaii after all and step in the front door.

You are tempted to sit a spell in the parlor and have a cup of tea, but there are quilts to see.

Here's an Album quilt made by church members in 1851 from Norfolk, Connecticut and sent to Abner & Lucy Wilcox as a sentimental gesture.

A Cox's Comb quilt, I just love seeing quilts displayed on period furniture. The mosquito net reminds you that you are in the tropics and not in New England.

A blue & white drunkard's path quilt

Hawaiian tapa on top of New England woven coverlet. There are many more quilts in the collection and

the book entitled The Wilcox Quilts in Hawaii documents the history of the quilts in greater detail.

Tomorrow, I will share my pictures of the Hawaiian quilts from Mahamoku. Aloha

Walk in the Woods

2008-09-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

This Sunday started out with an early walk in the woods below my house. The morning sun was filtering through the Norfolk pines. Down the path the bees were feasting on the sap of a tree. It's amazing to see where honey comes from. The shell ginger in the meadow was blooming. This was a funny coincidence because I had just finished a charity quilt using Kauaiana shell ginger fabric from the 80's in a quilt. Here's a close up of the quilt and the fabric. It is a great Sunday today.

Starfruit and Fabric Bags

2008-08-18T17:03:00.000-07:00

The mangoes are almost finished though I did catch a family of wild pigs this afternoon munching on some for a late lunch. The starfruit are ripe, but I did find time this weekend to sew some fabric bags and practiced my long lost zipper application techniques. This one is very easy to sew. The box bag was a challenge but well worth it. The tutorial for this bag is at Drago Knit Fly. I'll leave you with this picture of a dwarf plumeria plant given to me by fellow blogger finish wahine before she moved to the frozen north.

Baby Quilt goes to the Animals

2008-07-20T14:41:00.000-07:00

This week between peeling mangoes, I was busy sewing a baby quilt using Bunny Hill Designs free pattern, My Sweet Baby. I wanted to give the quilt an old fashioned look because I'm using 3o's fabrics, so I decided to add embroidery animal corner blocks. I found some great animal pattern blocks in this book.I can't read Japanese so I'm guessing the title of this book is Really Cute Baby Quilts. The great thing is you can trace a pattern to use without knowing any Japanese. Outline embroidery like this is so easy. It's just like coloring with crayons.

My favorite is this chipmunk.

Here's the blocks all together waiting for their new home in the baby quilt.

I will post a picture of the finished quilt as soon as those darn ripe mangoes quit dropping from the trees.

Dreaming of a Special Sort of Friend

2008-06-30T10:38:00.000-07:00

A sort of Pooh like day today, it's hot and I'm lazy. I need to finish basting a quilt. But first a visit to the hundred acre wood and a Pooh like quilt. I found these Winnie the Pooh quilt blocks thrifting and I tried to fit them together best I can (as Pooh would say) and this is the result. The Eeyore block I couldn't fit on the front went on the back. I felt bad there was a leftover piece, but my special sort of friend was glad for the something to take to the beach to lay on.

Quilt Show & Fabric Bingo

2008-06-18T10:48:00.001-07:00

The quilt show this last weekend was full of fun and educational too. Thursday night, Carolyn Gregory gave a lecture about the Prince Albert Quilt Collection that comprises the antique quilts purchased for decorating the Princeville hotel when it originally opened. The hotel has now given them to the Prince Albert Foundation to care for them. It was great to see such a wonderful quilt collection up close.

This breadfruit (ulu) quilt was made for the Presidential Suite of the hotel. It was made in 1985.This quilt is two-color quilt is from the early 1800's. A traditional Hawaiian quilt unknown pattern with exquisite quilting. Show & tell and buying door prize tickets were both popular activities at the show. This is a group quilt the No Nene Quilters made for one of our quilt sisters. My favorite night was fabric bingo night. We played for prizes donated by local sponsors using Hawaiian themed quilt bingo cards. For example, grandmother's flower garden was tutu's garden and friendship star was ohana (family) star. Each square marker was a hand pieced origami fabric square with a bead in the center. So fancy!

With this image of a early Hawaiian flag quilt from the Prince Albert Collection I'll say "a hui ho" until next year from the North Shore Quilt Show.

Book Sale Discovery

2008-06-12T10:44:00.000-07:00

We have a great library in our area the Princeville Library. The Friends of the Library hold a book sale every 6 months to raise funds to buy new books. I thought the last thing I needed was another book, but thinking there might be some home improvement books to help with our cottage restoration we went to the book sale. My husband found a The Home Depot Home Improvement Book and we needed that.This book caught his eye, and I said that was more my style than the Orange Home Depot book, so I purchased it. When I got home and started reading the book, I noticed an inscription in the front of book, it read " To Mr. C.H. Porter with all good wishes E.T. Meredith" Des Moines, Iowa December 1926. Just some old gentlemen gifting another, I thought. Then I reached the back of the book with this Christmas Greetings from E.T. Meredith. For anyone that doesn't know who this is, he is founder of Better Homes and Gardens and his company Meredith Corporation still publishes this magazine and many more like Ladies Home Journal.Can you tell I'm a fan of the PBS show "History Detectives"? Before his untimely death at 51 in 1928 Mr. Meredith was being considered as a Presidential candidate. The author of the book Chelsa C. Sherlock was also first editor of Better Homes & Gardens. The book has nice descriptions of historic houses with pictures like this one of Harriet Beecher Stowe' s house. I contacted the Meredith Corporation and I got a nice e-mail from Mell Meredith's assistant that they would like me to donate this to their archival library. Her assistant said they got a chuckle the book made a trip to Hawaii. I feel like a real official history detective with this library book sale find.

Hawaiian Dis 'n Dat

2008-06-11T10:50:00.001-07:00

Last weekend I came across an old quilt top I hadn't finished made from vintage scraps a tutu or "grandmother" had pieced already in strips for me. I finished it for the quilt show this weekend at the Church of the Pacific in Princeville. Since all quilts good enough to hang in show must have a name, I had to come up with one. The tapa cloth reminded me of party platters and the fabric of bright pupus or appetizers at a luau. This cookbook had a special chapter called "Dis 'n Dat" with little bits of everything contained in its' pages.I should explain "dis 'n dat" is Hawaiian pidgin for "this and that". This is a perfect name for a quilt with a little bit of everything in it including some poi colored fabric. The "Dis 'n Dat" quilt will be on display at the quilt show this weekend come by for a closer look. I'll even share some recipes from the Pupu Party Planner cookbook!

Historic Cottage & Mangoes

2008-06-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

Back to work for at least 2 more weeks on the cottage and this is the result. The inside still needs some professional help.

Here's our historic plaque from the city of Cheney it is brass and very heavy so we still have to figure out what wall can hold it.Over the mountains back to Seattle. It was a bright and sunny day. Sorry for the buggy windshield it is summer after all. Back in Seattle we spent a day at Pike Place Market shopping.

The quilt store Undercover Quilts is there. Even though it is small, the store has lots of variety and many finished quilts on display.

Mary Downes' Bark Park quilt was displayed in the window. This store is a must stop for me whenever I'm is Seattle.

Flowers everywhere was the theme of the day at Pike Place Market.

After an activity filled vacation we are back on Kauai just in time for mango season. The Kauai quilt show is next week I'm going to be demonstrating Hawaiian quilting there. I looking forward to a busy, fun summer.

Break Day from Restoring Cottage

2008-06-03T10:35:00.000-07:00

Today we took a break from painting and explored around the towns of Post Falls & Coeur d 'Alene. First stop was Caife Cistin.To enjoy some Chinese green tea and Mexican spice mocha while enjoying the trendy atmosphere of Post Falls.

This small coffee shop in Post Falls even has dandelion jelly! We also explored the local thrift shops in both towns. This was such a colorful mural I had to get a picture of it. I bought this German thimble at Wiggetts the antique mall in Coeur d 'Alene. I have found that good thimbles are cheaper at thrift stores and even antique malls than than at regular sewing shops. This antique thimble cost $8.00 and is sterling silver.

The thimble is sitting on wallpaper from the Cheney cottage.

The paper was backed with muslin on the wall. I can't believe the wallpaper still is vibrant after all these years.

I arrived at Bear Paw Quilting before they opened to get a good parking space. You can tell I'm still not use to the cold weather yet. I purchased this block of the month pattern for $2.00 (the umbrella material was included) and made this three dimensional pin wheel block. I mailed this quilt block back to the store to enter the drawing for pin wheel blocks other quilters have made. I hope I win.

Historic Cottage Before

2008-06-02T10:11:00.000-07:00

We have arrived at Cheney to work on our "historic" house, the town voted to designate the house historic. The house dates between 1880 and 1884. One fun part of restoring a old house is the demo. It's fun pulling square nails out of old walls, and taking pictures of all the old layers of wall paper and flooring. I am mostly the low end labor in the project, getting tools, keeping things organized and clean up work. We also had a great demo crew including my dad, my mom, daughter and her boyfriend. Many hands make light work. The most interesting discovery was a 1881 Christian Journal my husband found in the attic. This photo is a before picture of the concrete shower stall in the spacious bathroom. That's when we found a new discovery a rotting floor beam! Thank goodness my husband has a fix for that. After a long day working, we stopped at Picabu Neighborhood Bistro in Spokane for this great dinner of grilled chicken gyros and desert lime chicken. In tomorrow's blog I'll share some more house photos and even something quilty.

Over the Pass & Putting on the Ritz

2008-05-29T14:33:00.000-07:00

It is over the pass day for a five hour drive to Spokane. The best part of the journey is a lunch stop at the Valley Cafe in Ellensberg. With its 1930 original decor you want to hum "Putting on the Ritz" as you order your food. Chicken salad with crunchy nuts and fresh greens was just what we needed for a road trip lunch break. The tea is even pretty as you can see.My husband had the roast beef sandwich with strawberry fan for flair. You can sit at the counter or at this tableau by the window. Can I rave anymore about this restaurant? We stopped on our way back to Seattle for lunch again. The food was very good and served with loving care. We just loved it!

Snoqualmie Falls, Ikea & More

2008-05-28T13:47:00.000-07:00

Up and out early on our trip today. It's off to Snoqualmie Falls. Since Kauai is a virtual paradise full of waterfalls, it takes alot for me to be impressed by waterfalls. But Snoqualmie Falls was simply majestic. It was the first day of warm spring weather and everyone including a local motorcycle club came out to enjoy the falls. My husband & I walked around the town of Issaquah. He loved the look of this building it gives you a glimpse of Issaquah downtown.

I happened a upon a craft fair and bought pot holders and tea towels for Mother's day presents.

She was a quilter and displayed watercolor quilts something I never had the patience to do. Friends told us not to miss shopping at the Ikea store. So we ventured into the land of European design. I had no idea how large the store was. It took us a good 5 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the entrance and we were not inside the building yet! Inside we strolled for at least 3 hours before stopping for lunch at the store cafeteria.

I had chicken salad and some great brambleberry juice. I even found their fabric section. It was self serve and yes, I was honest as to how many yards I cut and labeled. Here's some of the fabric. It will be great for household sewing and bags, I'm not sure I would use it for quilts. But at $3.50 a yard I couldn't resist. This is the last day in Seattle and we must head over the mountains in tomorrow's blog. I'll miss shopping in Bellevue.

Seattle Fabric, Eating & Architecture

2008-05-27T13:07:00.000-07:00

I've been typing my blog the old-fashioned way so that's why it has taken me so long to update my site. This morning in April after I stopped by my favorite donut shop, just joking this is the breakfast we really had. We went to the Food Service Conference and sampled many tasty treats. A Japanese chef demonstrated slicing and dicing vegetables so they look like a landscape from Memoirs of a Geisha. I just love the blue soba noodles for waterfall! After long morning at the food show a quick trip to the local fabric store Stitches and I purchased more dotted basic fabric and a variety of zippers for making purses. Stitches is a cute little store that offers fabric and patterns for "the younger hip group of stitchers". We finished off the day visiting the historic Stimson-Green house and a lecture on the architecture of Seattle at the University of Washington in preparation for restoring our Cheney historic cottage. Let's close the door for today and more on our Northwest trip tomorrow.

Big Day in Seattle

2008-04-27T18:37:00.001-07:00

Up early for yogurt parfait at Portage Bay Cafe that's loaded with raisins, berries, and whole grains.

My husband had the hearty scramble with potatoes, eggs and spinach. Yum!

Off to one of my favorite quilt stores in Bellevue, Quiltworks Northwest. They have a great selection of fabrics and patterns. I went on a basic neutral fabric shopping spree. I have lots of novelty fabric and needed fabric to go with them. O.k., I did sneak a piece of banana fabric in I couldn't help it.After a long day of shopping, we went to our favorite vegetarian Thai food called Araya's for dinner. We ordered fresh spring rolls with tangy sweet sauce.My favorite is the Rad na with delicious wide rice noodles and veggies. You can choose the amount of heat in your dishes with a 1 thru 5 scale. I chose 2 and it was just right for me.With the last grain of rice almost done, it's time to head back to hotel and rest up for the next big day in Seattle.

Ulei the Hawaiian Rose Quilt

2008-04-21T18:04:00.000-07:00

My unfinished project for this year is my Ulei Hawaiian quilt. I started finishing this quilt well, let's just say many moons ago. This quilt was always a ufo to me as I purchased the half-appliqued top at the thrift store, yes for a measly $3.00.

I used wool batting in it to give that soft vintage look. My quilting lines are not drawn with pencil. I like the idea of natural looking ocean waves washing over the applique design. I didn't know the pattern name but Lee Wild of the Hawaiian Quilt Research Project was nice enough to help me identify it as the ulei pattern.

This is Lee Wild holding Meali'i Kalama's bombax quilt pattern.

Here's a Meali'i Kalama breadfruit quilt I made after taking her quilt design class at the Kauai Museum.

Now I must finish the ocean wave quilting on my ulei quilt.

I hope it's a high surf day!

Hawaiian Quilting on Aloha Friday

2008-04-18T14:02:00.000-07:00

Since it's Aloha Friday another Hawaiian quilting post is in order. This excellent book Contemporary Hawaiian Quilting written by Linda Arthur, PhD is a great resource for those who would like add the flavor of the islands to their quilts.
This is the Kalo Hanalei quilt I made that appears on page 10 of the book. Happy Aloha Friday!

Hawaiian Pineapple Quilt

2008-04-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

At our local bank there is a great antique Hawaiian Pineapple quilt, so I stopped by to take a picture. Sorry for the glare they have it behind plexiglass and I couldn't ask the bank to turn off all their lights. Since I'm in the Hawaiian quilt mood, here's some Hawaiian quilt lore. The center of the quilt is called the piko. Many quilters used this design element as their signature. In the past some families destroyed the quilts when the maker died as person's soul was believed to be with the quilt. I'm very glad the bank displays this wonderful quilt so it can be enjoyed by the public everyday.

Mahalo

Kauai Quilt Festival at the Kauai Museum

2008-04-15T10:33:00.000-07:00

The Kauai Museum is having a Kauai Quilt Festival this year from May 23rd until October 1st. This festival is dedicated to the late Julie Yukimura, an inspiration to all Quilters!

Be sure to stop by and see the quilts. If you can't make it, here is a picture of a Hawaiian quilt from Maui in my collection. Enjoy!

Home of the Brave Project

2008-04-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

A step back in time helps soldiers of today. This Sunday, I sewed a block for the Home of The Brave Quilt Project for Hawaii. The pattern is the Civil War pattern signature block. Since my husband's great grandfather was a Civil War Veteran I was thinking of him too when I put together this block.

Soldiers of the past and present have dedicated much to this country, and I'm happy to help with this charity.

Grape Crochet... a Look Back

2008-04-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

This women's sewing group is from Blaine, Idaho a town close to Moscow, Idaho. One of these ladies crocheted this grape cluster collar. Do you see the large grapes on the wallpaper, did those inspire the crochet collar? If only walls could talk...In case your not sick of politics yet, this picture is also from Blaine, I find it interesting that this was taken in 1912 when Taft ran for president and women could still not vote yet. I can't believe there was a time when what we had to say did not count.

Up a Tree and a Quilt

2008-04-07T10:10:00.000-07:00

I kind of felt "up a tree" when I was asked to do a baby quilt quickly as I could for a friend of a relative. Sometimes you are torn in two directions, I would love to make a quilt for a sweet baby but do I have time? Searching the blogs I found Lisa Boyer's Pua Keni Keni quilt pattern, it would be perfect for a little girl.The pattern was fun and I made 8" blocks with a 30's fabric for that retro feel. With the quilt almost done I can get out of that tree and enjoy a cup of tea! Photograph of women "up a tree" is from our family archive taken in Moscow, Idaho early 1900's.

Aloha Friday

2008-04-04T11:00:00.000-07:00

In Hawaii Friday is celebrated 52 weeks a year. Aloha Friday is the end of the week and beginning of pau hana time (no work). This picture is from today's Honolulu Star Bulletin of the new Miss Aloha Hula. Have a great Friday!

Many Hearts Quilt

2008-04-03T11:10:00.001-07:00

Here's another great quilt our quilt group made, many hearts make many quilt blocks. The No Nene Quilters heart quilt is being donated to the Heart Association for their fundraiser.
Close up of bird house center block with silk ribbon embellishment made by Nancy Tipple.
Heart with embroidery accent.

Dragon Fly Wedding Quilt

2008-03-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

I finished the Michelle's wedding quilt I'm so happy I got it done before the wedding. I combined two patterns, the Four Patch Harmony set on point from Fat Quarter Frenzy and the dragon fly block from the Aketombo quilt by Maria Tamaoka. Now that the quilt is done I can enjoy spring and take a ride on my bike with my dog!

Happy Easter from the Farm

2008-03-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter from the farm. All the baby chicks are running about and the sun is shining what a great day! This Easter card was posted from Hillyard, Wash. to Moscow, Idaho on March 10th 1910 thought I'd share it with you on Easter.

Happy Handwork & Orchids

2008-03-22T11:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Handworks is having a yarn giveaway see her blog for details. Cinnamon Girl asked as we comment to tell her what our favorite flower is. When I lived in Washington my favorite flower was lilac. Now that I'm in Hawaii it has to be orchids hands down. Orchids are so colorful and dramatic. The ones above are in my garden and let's face it Miss Kauai wouldn't look the same holding a tulip lei!

It's Almost Easter

2008-03-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

I went out in the garden today the duckling couldn't wait until Easter to hatch!

I like this thrifted quilt block that is just right if you want to make a Easter Lamb quilt it is probably from the 60's.

And last but not least the Easter bunny on an antique postcard from 1910. Happy almost Easter!

Surprise in the Mail

2008-03-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

The mail came today and I was so surprised I received a booklet for the Relay for Life Quilt Raffle for the City of Cheney, Wash. You wonder why Cheney? Doesn't she live in Hawaii. We vacation in Cheney and we were remodeling our Cheney Town Cottage. That's my husband on the roof. My job was to catch the falling shingles. Well, back to the quilt part of this post. The Garden Gate Quilt Shop in Cheney was giving fabric kits for a leaf block for a raffle quilt. I'm always looking for an excuse not to catch shingles so I opted to sew a block for the quilt. Isn't that what vacations are for? I'm so pleased at the results of the quilt and dedication of the quilters in the Cheney area to the Relay for Life.

Palouse Kids

2008-03-13T12:44:00.000-07:00

I'm a genealogy buff so I love old pictures of the family. Top picture is Ruth playing by the banks of Palouse River. Other photo is of my father-in-law soon to be 86 (in the buggy) and his sister on the family farm in Hooper, Washington. The town was known as Palouse Falls when these pictures were taken around 1922.

Kauai Quilt Show

2008-03-12T10:45:00.000-07:00

It's coming soon! Kauai north shore quilter Jeni Hardy is putting on a quilt show. I can hardly wait! Great teachers and great quilts to see! (click on image for larger view)

Miss Honolulu

2008-03-10T10:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was another quilting Sunday. I started a wedding quilt for the daughter of a friend, she was my flower girl at my wedding, how time flies. I used the Kaffe Fassett book for inspiration and since it must be done by March 29th I'll be sewing late at night. Did I mention that Kaffe Fassett is coming to Kauai? Next February he will be escorting a quilting group to Hawaii. I love his designs. This needlepoint is his Miss Honolulu hibiscus that my mother-in-law did.Back to work sewing, did you notice I left the fabric bits on the quilt block picture, this quilt is getting done lickety split.

Colorful Weekend

2008-03-03T09:29:00.000-08:00

Garage sale shopping this weekend I spotted this colorful grouping of neon green cafe chairs. I didn't buy the chairs, but I bought the vintage Watt oven ware bowls. I have found that older off-sized bowls are useful in marking quilting circles and scalloped borders. Living on Kauai means almost every weekend is full of bright happy colors.

Recycling With Pleasure

2008-02-22T15:42:00.000-08:00

O.K. I read the blogs on recycling retro pillowcases into great handy tote bags, so I stopped by the local thrift shop and look what I found! Pillowcases I would never use for a tote bag, but I would definitely use as pillowcases. If you sleep on Victorian pillowcases will you have Victorian dreams? I also found these napkins that I would never use for a spaghetti feed. I will recycle them just as they are and appreciate someone's lovely handwork.

Why Sisters Are So Much Fun!

2008-02-15T09:38:00.000-08:00

I'm lucky to have a sister like I do. She always listens to my complaints, never reminds me to clean the house and sends me

Funky Monkey fabric on a whim. She always said yes when I wanted to play Barbie dolls. Thank goodness for sisters.

Happy Valentines Day

2008-02-14T09:41:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day to all! Here's a bit of nostalgia from Washington State University where my daughter and her beau attend school. This dance card is from 1941 when boys had to request in writing a dance from the girl. That's romance!

Kauai Quilt Weekend More Quilt Show & Tell

2008-02-11T21:37:00.000-08:00

Here's tireless Jeni finishing a quilt top made by Lisa Boyer for donation to a local charity.

Eric Belmonte Charity Quilt

2008-02-11T21:13:00.000-08:00

The No Nene Quilters finished this bright quilt for the Belmonte Golf tournament's silent auction fundraiser.

Kauai Quilt Weekeend

2008-02-11T21:03:00.000-08:00

The team of quilters from No Nene Quilt group got together this weekend and sewed their hearts out for local charities. We enjoyed Susie T's tasty sour cream cinnamon bars too. Enjoy these pictures of Julie Yukimura's stack & slash quilt. I love the colors.

Evolution of a Quilt Block

2008-02-06T20:55:00.000-08:00

Our quilt group is doing a cooperative quilt with a tropical ocean theme. I was given a 12 1/2" portion to sew with a fish design block. I chose the tang fish as it is very easy to draw and I am not an artist! I started with a the simple line drawing of a tang from The Handbook of Hawaiian Fish by Gosline & Brock. I then traced the tang fish drawing on Steam a Seam Lite. The spotted batik I received from daughter for my birthday was a perfect choice for the tang's body. I enjoyed this evolution of a simple drawing into a quilt block. This is why quilting is so much fun!

Let's Go Snorkeling Quilt

2008-02-06T12:53:00.000-08:00

This quilt was finished by the No Nene Quilters. (Our local quilt group.) It is made from tropical fish blocks sewn by Susan Kinkki using her own hand-dyed fabric. The No Nene Quilters thank Susan for this colorful quilt that will go to a local charity.

How Not To Photograph Quilts

2008-02-03T20:19:00.000-08:00

I just read Lisa Boyer's tutorial on how to not photograph quilts. It saved me from sending this photo to a top quilt book publisher. I'm very grateful.

Stepping Stone Quilt Block

2008-02-03T15:11:00.000-08:00

Sunday is my fun day to audition new quilt block patterns to see if I would like to do more than one. Nancy Mahoney's Stepping Stone Quilt Pattern was easy to piece and the results where impressive.

My Favorite Shop in Kilauea Town

2008-01-30T13:05:00.000-08:00

Thrift store shopping is at its best in Kilauea at Christ Memorial Church's parish hall store. Helen Mitsui is the grand dame of sorters for all the donated goods. I just found a Van Briggle Blue Stallion to add to my growing collection of knick knacks.

Quilting Weekend

2008-01-28T15:34:00.000-08:00

This weekend I almost finished this quilt from Bunny Hill Designs. I had it finished enough to use as show in tell at our monthly No Nene Quilt Group meeting. I always learn so much. This meeting I learned what indigo dye in powdered form smells like, very earthy. Now when I buy anything marked indigo I will give it the sniff test to be sure it is genuine.

Sharing Something Hawaiian

2008-01-25T18:20:00.000-08:00

Just as a quilter sews little pieces of fabric together to make a quilt. Mrs. Bailey Hawaiian lei maker from Honoululu made this haku lei with the smell of the mountains. Her son shared this lei with us and we say mahalo.

My Handmade Dolly

2008-01-24T18:11:00.000-08:00

Here is a doll I made using an old dress pattern from my husband's grandmother. I always wanted to sew this dress but the pattern size was too small for me. Making a doll with the vintage dress pattern is a great alternative for vintage sewing fans. Now when I go thrift store shopping I look at vintage sewing patterns in a new light.

Daily Inspiration Looking Back

2008-01-23T10:14:00.000-08:00

When I need inspiration I look at old family photos. I see determination and the will to get the job done on their faces and they are mentors to me. I also enjoy seeing a woman in a skirt and carrying a gun. We have it so easy today.

Kauai Craft Fair

2008-01-21T16:28:00.000-08:00

Pictures from the Church of the Pacific Craft Fair, held monthly on Kauai's Northshore.

Some of my friends have booths selling aprons and quilts.

Pictured are me and my daughter at the craft fair.

They also sell great homemade cookies.

Martin Luther King Day Is Peace Day on Kauai

2008-01-21T09:52:00.000-08:00

Here's my Peace Day quilt block from Bunny Hill Designs Website see their free pattern link.

My First Post

2008-01-19T12:39:00.000-08:00

This is my first post. I'm at the Fruit Stand and will have to bag up some longan soon.