My Aloha Quilt

Here in Hawaii I joined our local quilt guild and subsequently started attending two of the small bees that are affiliated with the guild.  The first one I began visiting is known as "The Tuesday Bee" which is held every second Tuesday of the month in the morning.  The other bee I went to a little less frequently was the Sassy Bee which is held on the second Saturday of the month for most of the day.  I didn't always attend as much as I would like becasue sometimes my husband and I would do something together, but after he started scuba diving, it worked out that he could spend a day diving while I quilted.

The Sassy Bee has a tradition when someone leaves.  People who want to can make a block and then they are assembled into a finished quilt and presented to the departing friend.  Usually the theme is Hawaii, but sometimes exceptions are made.  In my case, an exception was made and people did something patriotic.  (I know, imagine that!)  Check out how this quilt turned out!

It is so gorgeous and means so much to me.  It is so much more than a quilt.  It is filled with memories.

This block was made by Mary.  She and I sat by each other at the Vicki Pignatelli class.  Mary used the technique we learned to make this star block.

This pineapple block was made by Kim.  She and I made quilts together using this pinepple block.  It is a Buggy Barn pattern.  Kim also put the blocks together and made this quilt!

This block was made by Joan.  She just left the island but finished this before she left.  She had to dig through boxes to find fabric to use!  She and I attended Superior Threads School of Threadology together.

While in the class we met another Army spouse, Janie.  She joined  the bees and she made this:



Beautiful embroidered stars from Ellen add a wonderful embellished touch.  Ellen is local and civilian, however she is the driving force for the group who makes Kid Comfort Quilts here on the island.  Kid Comfort Quilts is a program with Armed Services YMCA where photos are printed on fabric and then made into a small quilt or pillow and given to children with a deployed parent.  Here on Oahu we have Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines so there are way too many quilts to make but the group keeps up and finish the required number each month!

This star was made by Rowena.  She is known for this shade of blue and orange.  I love that she chose an "orangy" shade of red.  The blue also reminds we of water and she and I attend  the same water aerobics and have snorkeled together, too.

This hear and hand was made by Barb.  I taught a class on back-basting applique and she is one of the students who picked it up and began using the technique, too.  This block is back-basted!

A block by another Army spouse!  Kristin

This block was made by Maureen.  She is known for blue and scrappy.  She made a small star because she tried to convince the group to go tiny since I'm sort of know for that, but they weren't biting!

Holly made this block.  She and I went whale watching together before she moved away.  When she left, I included whales in her block, so I was really tickled to see that she did the same.

Mary Ann made this one.  She has lived in Montana and since I am from South Dakota, we are practically family!  (LOL.  Really though, there are 900,000 people on this island, probably more than her state and mine combined!)

Another great star block made by Susan, our guild's president.  (Well president for a week or two more and I bet she knows just how many more hours!!  LOL)  Below is a block by one of her in-laws--I never can remember just how they are related, but she is the "other JoAnne" although she spells the name wrong:  Jo-Ann.  (This is a common JoAnne joke--no one ever seems to be able to spell our name right or even pronounce it--can you believe people see JoAnne and say Joan?  It doesn't help that there are so many variations...)  I do love her appliqued stars!

Finally here is a picture of the magnificent label!  I almost wish it was on the front.  What looks like a yellow blob there on the right is actually a "bee" button.  I should have gotten a better photo, but there is a bee button sewn onto each quilt made for a departing member. 



Aloha,

JoAnne