We just recently returned from a wonderful WARM stay in Hawaii. Our visit included three stops on The Big Island: Hilo, Waimea and Kona. If you know me, you know I like bargains and fabric shopping.
Two years ago we stayed in Kona and we stopped by this lovely fabric store. Well, a visit to that area wasn’t complete without revisiting Kimura’s Fabrics in Kainaliu again.
This is the neatest place. Not only can you find all kinds of fabric there, you can also buy soft drinks, flip flops, and other stuff. If you can’t find something, the staff is right there to help you.
Lots of fabric.
And this is what I purchased. The first two are the same pattern, but different colors. Dave chose them for aprons. The other piece I’ll make napkins or maybe a hankie or two for him.
The two laces are for me to play with dyes and paints! The one on the left reminds me of the lace that “chapel veils” were made of years ago when I was a kid. All girls had to wear them or hats at Mass. The other piece has palm trees. I asked if they had any lace with palm leaves and this is all she had.
Here’s a close up of the lace with palm trees. She says brides buy it for their wedding dresses in Hawaii. Pretty interesting.
Then right across the street is a thrift store. How convenient. This was one of the four thrift stores we checked out in Hawaii. Dave found a shirt and I bought a dress. Prices there were pretty steep for a thrift store, but we liked our purchases so we forked over the cash.
After this shopping trip, we had worked up a hunger so we revisited another place we liked, The Coffee Shack.
Doesn’t Dave look good in his snow dyed shirt?
Here is a little friend who was hanging out eating with us.
We split a sandwich so we would have room for their wonderful desserts.
I ordered the Coconut Creme Pie. Yum!
Just one of the wonderful, fun days of our vacation. Now that we’re home, it’s time to get back to some art. Hope you are keeping warm. It’s really cold here!
OMG, I haven’t heard the term “chapel veil” in so many years! I went to Catholic school from K-8th grade and we wore them to church all the time. Nice time to visit Hawaii, it looks like a gorgeous place.
Laura McGrath recently posted..A Cold Morning in January
Laura, I also went to a Catholic school from 1st through 8th. When I saw that lace “chapel veil” came flying out of my mouth! I’ve not heard that term either in a long, long time! Glad I’m not alone. Hawaii is a beautiful place – perfect weather! Thanks for dropping by.
It looks like you had a wonderful time! Did you go to the Farmers Market in . . . um I think it was Kona but I could be wrong about the city. I love Farmers Markets. I wish I had seen the fabric shop while I was on the Big Island years ago. That looks like a lot of fun! You were so good to purchase so little! I’m excited to see what you end up doing with the laces.
Lisa recently posted..Entering & Enjoying
Ah it brings back memories!! I have to tell you a funny story about Daryl and I going to Hawaii… I wanted some fabric too, but I didn’t know it until I was walking around in the Walmart there (yes I went there and it was the same as ours, LOL). So I’m loading up my cart thinking of all the sarongs and tanks I’ll make myself. Well fast forward to the end of vacation and we’re at the airport. I had bought so much fabric that it went over the weight limit and I had to check another bag! I think it was pretty steep, too. Like $50. Well I still had my bright colorful Hawaiian designs, right? So later back at home I’m shopping where else but Walmart and go looking in their fabric department and well you know where this is going don’t you? Yes, it was the same damn fabric!! Pfft. Learned my lesson. Don’t buy fabric at Walmart when on vacation. It was probably all made in China anyway. LOL
Jaime Haney recently posted..Painting 17 Yupo experiment
Lisa, We not only went to Farmers Markets, we planned our whole vacation around them in all three places!! Yes, I did use restraint. Last time I went I bought a lot and still have some of those pieces so didn’t want to buy alot. I’m also more into my own surface design now than I was on the last trip. I did get a couple neat pieces from artists I’ll blog about later. Lots of inspiration.
Jaime, That is too funny! I bought a couple of shirts in 2012 from Walmart there and they shrank – made poorly so as you said, probably made in China. This year I focused more on thrift stores and things to work with my fabric like the lace. The fabric at that store was pretty high quality and reasonable. Most of the stuff was $6 or so a yard. I liked all of the Hawaiian inspired fabrics – some I still have from our last visit.
Looks like you had a great time. Beautiful fabric, and happy, smiling people and lizard!
Oh AA, we did! It was so much fun and so relaxing. See you soon!
Hi Lynda, it looks like a wonderful get away for this time of the year. It’s been below freezing here for a week. 🙁 I was the lucky recipient of the Printed Bees Fabric squares. They are all lovely!
The shop you visited sounds like one in Intercourse, PA. They had many wonderful fabrics to choose from, but also hats, nails and other hardware, actually most anything you could be looking for. Love the fabric choices you made!
Diane in NH recently posted..Fun, Fun, Fun Fabric
Hi Diane, You know when we left here two weeks ago it was 0 and black ice. We returned to 11 degrees so it was warmer!! But it looks like it’s going to be cold for awhile. It was a great time to get away. That’s neat about that store in PA. Oh, I saw where you won. You have got to show me what you end up doing with those pieces. Keep warm!
I can’t wait to see what you do with the lace that has the palm trees on it… I’m thinking that will work just great for sun printing! Nice find!
Judy, I was hoping for just palm leaves but this will be interesting.