1900 - 1920 Frances Kaleipapipi Char's Hawaiian Applique Quilt
date: label: date made
content: 1900-1920
name: label: owner
content: Char, Frances Kaleipapipi Clinton
label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description
content: This Hawaiian appliqué quilt, in the “Nightblooming Cereus” pattern, belonged to Frances Kaleipapipi Clinton Akana Char. It was donated in her memory by her daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Akana. The quilt was given to Frances as her Hawaiian name, Kaleipapipi, means the "corral to hold cattle." The night-blooming-cereus plant (<I> Hylocereus undatus </I>) may have come from Mexico (or South America) and grows over corral walls. When the flowers bloom in the evening between June and October, it appears as though the corral is a lei of cereus flowers around the cattle. Frances Kaleipapipi Char enjoyed this Hawaiian quilt for many years. According to the donor, it was always atop her bed.
label: Description
content: This quilt is an example of the Hawaiian appliqué technique, achieved through folding the fabric into eighths and then cutting the design. The quilting outlines the flower appliqué and radiates outward in an echo pattern, quilted 7 stitches per inch. The design was inspired by the night-blooming-cereus. It is said that originally the lava rock wall of the Punahou School in Honolulu was planted with this type of cactus by a Mrs. Bingham about 1836. The beautiful white flowers attracted many admirers who then took cuttings, such that now the species is established throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: Subject
content: Quilting
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Textiles
label: See more items in
content: Cultures & Communities
label: See more items in
content: Domestic Furnishings
label: See more items in
content: Textiles
label: See more items in
content: Quilts
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Elizabeth A. Alkana
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1995.0242.01
label: accession number
content: 1995.0242
label: catalog number
content: 1995.0242.01
objectType: label: Object Name
content: quilt
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: fabric, cotton (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: thread, cotton (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: filling, wool (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 87 in x 70 in; 221 cm x 177 cm