them when they sailed to the Hawaiian Islands.
As early as 1820 native Hawaiian women learned to make quilts from missionaries. Unlike the quilts we know as "Hawaiian Quilts" today, these early quilts were pieced. Cotton fabric became more available with the westernization of Hawaii. This made it possible to create quilts with applique on solid cloth. These appliqued quilts had a single design radiating symmetrically from the center covering the whole quilt. These quilts were usually made with two solid colors, one for the background and one for the appliqued design. Today the legacy of Hawaiian quilting is still popular.