What does a quilt mean to you? For some, it can mean warmth, comfort, or a pretty design. The Maui Quilt Shop provides quilt kits so you can create gorgeous Hawaiian quilt patterns as well as other traditional and modern quilt patterns. As the only quilt shop in Kihei, HI, they know that a quilt can also represent an important piece of Hawaiian history.

Missionaries taught native Hawaiian women how to make quilts as early as 1820 and the traditional Hawaiian quilt developed by1870. Since quilts were created based on events or things seen in the quiltmaker’s life, the resulting design was often personal to the creator.

Crazy quilts, made from assorted pieces of fabric and stitched in seemingly random patterns, were popular between the late 1800s and early 1900s. Queen Lili’uokalani constructed a crazy quilt during her 10-month imprisonment.

Queen Lili’uokalani became the last ruler of the Hawaiian Kingdom at the age of 52 and reigned for only two years. She was forced to sign her abdication, placed under house arrest, and charged with treason. While Queen Lili’uokalani was held as a prisoner in Iolani Palace in 1895, she created a 97x95 inch quilt made up of nine panels that documented her confinement. 

In addition to the asymmetrical pieces of cloth made from various materials and colors, Queen Lili’uokalani also stitched messages in the center panel that recorded important events, such as “Imprisoned in Iolani Palace…We began the quilt here.” She also included important dates and names of her supporters. Hawaii was officially annexed by the United States in 1893 during Queen Lili’uokalani’s imprisonment and made a state in 1959. Lili’uokalani died in Honolulu in 1917, and the Queen’s Quilt can be viewed in a plexiglass case in the room that was her former prison.

Quilt construction is a wonderful way to document significant events in your life and is an item that can be passed down for many generations. Call The Maui Quilt Shop at (808) 874-8050, and speak to a friendly staff member about their quilting classes. You can also visit their website for more information about their quilt kits and available patterns.