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The art of quiltmaking was introduced to Hawaiian women by the wives of missionaries who went to Hawaii in 1820. Since the Hawaiians did not use fabric for clothing and furnishing, the women did not know how to sew. Sewing and wool weaving instructions were incorporated into the curricula of missionary schools.
The Hawaiian quilts have their own distinct character. The patterns on the quilts were inspired by the shaped of native plants and fruits, such as pineapple. They also derived from Hawaii’s landmarks and legends. The main characteristic of these quilts is their large, bold and intricate patterns, which are cut from a single piece of cloth and then appliquéd onto a background in a contrasting color.
The design is achieved by first folding the fabric into eighths and then cutting out the pattern, at technique identical to cutting snowflake patterns or string dolls out of folded paper. In Hawaiian quilts, the quilting normally follows the irregular contours of the appliquéd patterns. Puffy wool batting was used to create the three-dimensional quality of the quilted areas.
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