LIHUE — Quilter Toni Wass was happy she was joined by Bev Gotelli and Eryca Hessheimer in wearing red on Tuesday when the quilters met to discuss the opening of the Kauai Quilt Show on Feb. 7.
“That date is the day before the Kukui Grove Center hosts a day of Valentine’s Day — the color is reds — activities that includes the visiting Sam Fu Lion Dancers and Tsunami Taiko — the color of Chinese New Year is also red — who will be performing and learning about the lions,” said Melissa McFerrin Warrick of the Kukui Grove management team. “We’re going to have the Kauai Made program vendors and the K+M Market vendors. And, there’s the Kauai Quilt Show pop-up Quilt Boutique that’s going to be next to Jamba Juice.”
After being born 20 years ago in Princeville, the show moved to the Kauai Society of Artists gallery at the Kukui Grove Center that offered the quilters more space and the ability to extend the show for a longer period of time.
“We are so grateful for the KSA and the Kukui Grove Center for allowing us to use their space,” said Lea Ingrim, a KSA member and a leader of the Kauai Quilt Show. “Jeni Hardy founded the show 20 years ago at the Church of the Pacific in Princeville, and was the major force behind it for many years. Sadly, Jeni passed last year and she is sorely missed. We honor her by continuing the yearly tradition of sharing the artistry of quilting with our community.”
The Kauai Quilt Show features more than 45 local quilters that have entered the exhibit that runs daily through Feb. 19. The quilt show and its accompanying Quilt Boutique is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Founded three years ago as an extension of the show, the Quilt Boutique offers quality hand-crafted items, and is the base for the workshops that are planned during the exhibit and sale.
“Most of the workshops are Hawaiiana that have proven to be very popular with quilters,” Ingram said. “This year, the workshops include Lei Poo, or head lei, taught by Elvrine Chow, lauhala weaving with Uncle Onio Punzal, traditional Hawaiian applique taught by Bev Gotelli, and Sashiko, or Japanese hand-stitching or embroidery with Bev Gotelli.”
Workshop times and costs and registration is at Eventbrite.com, or available at the show after its Feb. 7 opening.
Sponsored by the Kauai Quilt Guild, Nene Quilters, Vicky’s Fabrics in Kapaa, and the Discount Fabric Warehouse in Lihue, the Kauai Quilt Show also features more than 55 Donation Quilts that will be sold during the show. When a Donation Quilt is sold, the buyer can select a Kauai nonprofit that receives 100 percent of the proceeds.
“Those who come to see the show — no admission — are invited to vote for their favorite quilt,” Ingram said. “The winner of this vote will have a photo of their quilt published on the next year’s postcard and advertising.”
The Viewers’ Choice Award from the 2024 show was Louise Olney with her quilt “Hawaiian Treasure.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.