LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Quilt Show opens its 2022 run on Feb. 11, and Vicky’s Fabrics is 40 years old.
“I chose Ruby for my Mini Quilt,” said Maile Bloxsom, the successor of Vicky Masuoka of Vicky’s Fabrics that sponsors the Miniature Quilt Display at the Kaua‘i Quilt Show. “Ruby is for 40 years, and this is Vicky’s Fabrics’ 40th anniversary. We’ll have something special, later this summer, but the quilt show is first.”
Sponsored by Kaua‘i Quilt Guild, Nene Quilters, Vicky’s Fabrics, Kapaia Stitchery, and Discount Fabric Warehouse, the show will open Feb. 11 with a Meet the Quilters Reception, depending on the conditions created by the COVID-19 and its omicron variant. Currently, the Kaua‘i Quilt Show is planning a small reception from 5 to 8 p.m. where quilting enthusiasts have an opportunity to meet the quilters participating in the exhibit featuring more than 70 locally-created quilts.
During the Kaua‘i Quilt Show, there will be a guest book for contact tracing, and everyone must wear a face mask. There will also be crowd monitoring so the space does not exceed its maximum allowable audience.
The Kaua‘i Quilt Show will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily through Feb. 23. Friday hours are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“A lot of the quilts will be available for sale,” said Lea Ingram, the quilter who earned the People’s Choice award from the 2021 show, and the resulting publication of her marinescape quilt on this year’s notification card. “There will be 59 donation quilts where 100 percent of the proceeds go to a Kaua‘i nonprofit of the buyer’s choice. We have 13 participating nonprofits to share the donation quilts.”
Additionally, the Miniature Quilt Display, sponsored by Vicky’s Fabrics, is not available during the exhibit.
“But we’ll be taking information from people interested in acquiring some of the Mini Quilts,” Ingram said. “They can contact the creator and from there, it’s up to them.”
Bloxsom said they are expecting between 35 to 40 entries for the Miniature Quilt Display that will adorn the window space of the KSA gallery.
“Over the years, we’ve gotten a high quality in the quilts coming in for the show,” Bloxsom said. “People are getting braver in the interpretation of themes, and getting braver in showing off their creativity.”
Bloxsom, labeled Modern Maile by her mom Vicky, said mini quilts are a good way of experimenting with something the quilters haven’t done before.
Tammy Quinn is participating with her Cat’s Cradle creation.
“I took this class at Vicky’s Fabrics,” Quinn said. “Toni Wass quilted the piece, but I took the class to learn the Julie Fregeau pattern.”
Vicky Masuoka will be participating with her Bargello quilt.
“This is an optical illusion quilt based on an Italian strip quilt,” Bloxsom said. “When the strips are cut into different widths, it creates the wave pattern when put together. This is one of the basic quilts that took Vicky about a week-and-a-half to create.”
Toni Wass, the Kaua‘i Quilt Show chairperson, said in addition to the walk-in show, people are able to follow the quilt show through Facebook (“Kaua‘i Quilt Show”), and on Instagram (#Kauaiquiltshow) where there will be video of the quilts.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
