One of my favorite things to do when travelling is to visit local quilt shops. Recently, I stopped by Quilt Passions in Kailua-Kona on The Big Island of Hawaii. The store was very busy and I had less than an hour to browse since I was island hopping and had a flight scheduled. As soon as I entered the store I was wishing my plans were not already set. The store was offering a full day quilt class for the next day and a week-long summer camp was also on their schedule. My travelling companions gave me a rolled eyes look and checked their smart phones for the time silently indicating I needed to get with it.

Hawaiian Fabrics

I like to find fabrics that are representative of the region I am exploring. I hit the jackpot at Quilt Passions. Somehow, I limited myself to just three prints. All were exclusive to the store. The first, a water background print is a discontinued print of Robert Kaufman. The fabric is still obtainable through Quilt Passions both online and in the store.

The second fabric is a batik print featuring sea turtles which was designed by Quilt Passions. I love using batik’s in my quilts and find them to be great blenders. However, they are hard to find where I live.

The last print is called The Big Island. This fabric is manufactured by Hoffman California but was designed by Quilt Passions and M.M-Cox. I can’t wait to use this particular print because I fell in love with the Big Island, especially the areas off the beaten path.

Quilt Retreats

If you are a serious quilter, this is a place to keep in mind when planning your next quilt retreat. The place was very busy, but staffed well. So no delay for someone with a limited amount of time, along with plenty of attentive help for those in need and not in a hurry. While the footprint is small, the fabrics are well-organized. Furthermore, for those who prefer yarn, the store has a separate room just for you. Registrations were available near the check-out counter for a variety of classes. For those of you that shop online, you can scope out Quilt Passions at by clicking here.

I believe you may find something you like. If you happen to live on or visit the Big Island of Hawaii, the store is located at 75-5626 Kuakini Highway Ste 4, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 and the best part of the location is the off street parking lot.

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