Feelings were very much a part of the designs of the Hawaiian quilt. The Hawaiians, born with a special relationship to the land, that which it produced and with a natural gracefulness, brought these qualities to the designs of their quilts.

 

The ability to create a beautiful, well-balanced design was considered a true gift. It was a talent that was carefully guarded. Many believed that the spirit of the person creating and stitching the quilt became an integral part of the finished work, giving it an added dimension - a sense of life. It is suggested that because of this belief many of the earlier quilts made by the Hawaiian women had no openings in the central portion of the pattern of the design. This was so that the part of their spirit, which was considered a part of the quilt, could not wander. The belief caused many quilts to be burned upon the death of their creators, thus allowing their spirits to pass on with them in entirety.

The humid climate and salt air claimed many more of the early quilts. And of those remaining, many are stored away in family chests, carefully passed down from generation to generation, without being shown to other than the immediate family. The art of making the Hawaiian quilt was considered so precious that it has only been in the recent past that the techniques have been openly taught. Now shared, in an attempt to perpetuate the art, ensuring its rightful place, so that many throughout the world can enjoy this quilting style which originated with the ingenuity and creativity of the Hawaiian people.

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