Early missionaries taught quilting to Hawaiian women, who adopted, then adapted the introduced art into a uniquely Hawaiian form. Quilt motifs are often drawn from nature, and bold silhouettes of favorite plants are very popular. Each quilt pattern bears its own name, often assigned according to the creator’s fancy.
Hawaiian quilts typically have a central appliquéd motif. Patterns of subtle quilting stitches echo that design. The pattern of quilting stitches is often likened to the faint imprint left by a patterned beater on Hawaiian kapa, while the appliquéd design of the quilt mimics the stronger painted or stamped design on the surface of kapa.
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