Hawaiian quilt array photo

Pacific Rim Quilt Company logo
N&J Your Hawaiian Quilt and Applique Specialists
Newsletter
Applique - We share your passion!
Issue: #1 June 2009
In This Issue
WHO ARE WE?
HUMMINGBIRD: INSPIRATION
BREADFRUIT: HAWAIIAN QUILT TRADITION
COMING EVENTS
CURRENT INTERNET SPECIAL 
Hummingbird
Hummingbird 2FAQ pattern
24" x 36"
Sale Price: $10.00
Regular Price: $12.00
Quick Links
Visit Our Website
Patterns
Fabric
 Fabric Packs
Notions
More About Us
Forward this email to a Friend
  If you received this Newsletter from a friend, sign-up to receive your own copy here:
Join Our Mailing List
Aloha!

In the quilting world appliquers can be made to feel a bit odd, a bit out of step.  And no wonder, when most quilters consider "applique" to be a nasty 4-letter word not to be uttered in polite conversation.  Some of you may feel that you are quite alone in your love of applique and Hawaiian quilts.  You sit at home, needle in hand, and wonder if there are others like you some place in the world.  Well, yes, there are many of you.

Even to our amazement, in just a matter of five days over 1,300 people just like you signed-up for our e-Newsletter.  And over 1,000 of you want a MONTHLY e-Newsletter.  We thought surely most of you would only want to hear from us Quarterly.  We are awed and humbled by your response.

Our goal is to INFORM and INSPIRE, to feed your love for applique.  So, if you were feeling a bit alone, you have found a home.  A place where you are normal.

E komo mai!
Welcome home!
WHO ARE WE?
 A brief review of our company
Perhaps you have seen our advertisements in quilt magazines, shopped in our booth at a quilt show, or you found us on the web.  But who is behind the name and logo of Pacific Rim Quilt Company?

There are just two of us:  Nancy Chong (right) and Janice Baehr (left).  We are sisters with incredibly supportive and helpful 2 Fabric Applique Quilts logohusbands.  Nancy lives in Gold Beach, Oregon and Janice lives in Snohomish, Washington.  Separated by 500 miles, we make good use of the phone and internet.  It is fortunate that we are two very different people.  Nancy loves to teach and be with people; Janice prefers the solitude of her office and companionship of her computer.  So Nancy is the person most of you know, while Janice is the person who keeps the business humming.  We both design and make quilts (though Nancy makes more time for these endeavors), beyond that we divide-up the responsibilities of the business accordingly.

In the mid-1980's we started selling a few Hawaiian Quilt block patterns at luaus in the Seattle area.  We formed Pacific Rim Quilt Company in 1990.  We found we were designing new patterns regularly enough that in 1999 Janice created our website and that is when our business really began to grow.  In 2000 Nancy quit her full-time job as a legal secretary to teach quilting full-time.  Janice gradually followed, cutting back to part-time at her banking job in 2002, then quitting it completely in 2005.  (More about each of us in future newsletters.)

We began with
Hawaiian Quilts
Then in 2004 we added a second line of patterns  
2 Fabric Applique Quilts logo
(or what we just call 2FAQs.)  Because we believe it is best to learn a technique (specifically, needle-turn applique) by watching someone do it rather than reading about it, we produced a companion video for each pattern line:
  • Hawaiian Quilting with Nancy Lee Chong
  • 2 Fabric Applique Quilts with Nancy Lee Chong
But that's enough about us for now.  We will reveal more, including how two girls from Washington became so involved with Hawaiian quilts, in future issues.
HUMMINGBIRD
Hummingbird 2FAQ photo Nancy tells what inspired her
In our 2FAQ line of patterns we had turtles, dragonflies, and lots of flowers, but many of you were asking for a hummingbird pattern.  I wanted to design one, but needed inspiration to know the setting for the hummingbird.  Little did I know that my new home would provide that setting.

When I moved from Washington to the more temperate climate of southwest Oregon I was amazed to discover a year-round population of hummingbirds.  One warm, sunny afternoon in December, I noticed that our large fuchsia bush had just one blossom remaining.  To my surprise, one hummingbird kept visiting that lone flower.
 
That little guy was the inspiration I needed.  Rather than draw an entire fuchsia bush, I decided to design the bare branches in a simple planter so your attention would be drawn to that single blossom and that determined little hummingbird.
 
Hummingbird photo
When I choose fabric for this quilt, I must admit that even though the hummingbird and fuchsia are the focus of attention, I keep buying fabric that will make the planter look gorgeous too.
 
Hummingbird close-up photo

TIP:  I hope you won't be afraid of appliqueing the hummingbird's beak.  But, if that seems beyond your reach right now consider embroidery or ink for the beak.  (The quilt at right was machine appliqued.)

This pattern is our current Internet Special and we have a variety of Fabric Packs available.
BREADFRUIT
Breadfruit photo A bit of Hawaiian Quilt Tradition
"Your first Hawaiian quilt should be a breadfruit design."  Have you ever heard that?  Do you know why it is said?
 
The Hawaiian word for breadfruit is 'ulu; and ulu means to grow, or increase.  In Hawaiian arts and crafts the 'ulu symbolizes abundance.  Nancy's Hawaiian quilting kumu (teacher) taught her that it also symbolizes greater creativity and more quilts.  So, when you hear the advice that you should first make the 'ulu design, now you know why. 
 
Many of us bristle when we hear the word should and set about to do anything but; while others find comfort and direction in the guidance.  We actually believe it is more likely you will make many quilts if you first choose a design you love, rather than one you think you are supposed to make.  We have three different size 'ulu patterns.  How great would it be if you happen to really like one of these for your first Hawaiian quilt?

Tropical II & Tropical III blocks (22"x22")
Breadfruit wall quilt (40"x40")
Na 'Ulu o Hawaii: Breadfruit bed quilt (84"x84" and up)

COMING EVENTS

Nancy's Whereabouts:
Here are opportunities to take a class from Nancy or catch a presentation at shows, shops and guilds.  Most guilds welcome visitors, so don't be shy.
  • June 2-4, Parksville, BC, Parksville Quilt House Quilters
  • June 6-9, Kamloops, BC, Marigold Appliquers
  • June 18-21, Burlington, Vermont Quilt Festival
    (a rare opportunity for those of you in New England to see several of our quilts in a special exhibit) 
  • July 7-10, Sisters, OR, Quilter's Affair
  • July 23-25, Spokane, WA, Washington State Quilters
  • Sept 14-15, Chester, CA, Piecemakers Quilt Guild
  • Sept 30 - Oct 7, several locations in Western Washington

Click CALENDAR for details and contact info

Visit us in our booth at these shows:

  • Newport, Oregon - Oregon Coastal Quilters Guild show, Aug 7 & 8
  • La Conner, Washington - Quiltfest 2009, Oct 2-4

Check our Calendar frequently for future events.

Piggy-backing is good!  Nancy is always eager to teach or speak at more than one location when she travels.  If she is able to book multiple events then each group shares in her travel expenses.  So it is just an economical and efficient way to book.  Check her Calendar and if you see that Nancy will be anywhere near* you let your local shop or Guild know that you would like them to contact her to see if additional engagements can be arranged during the same trip.  That way EVERYONE WINS!

*Remember Nancy is traveling from Oregon.  So near means that if she will be in Florida even Virginia is near.  Think regionally.

Well that is it for the inaugural issue of our e-Newsletter.  We hope you enjoyed it.  We welcome your suggestions, comments or questions.

A hui hou aku,
Until next time,

Nancy & Janice