Tears welled up in Patricia Lei Murray's eyes as she talked about a Hawaiian flag quilt she had made in honor of Queen Lili'uokalani, Hawai'i's last reigning monarch.

"Ku'u Hae Aloha Mau," or "My Beloved Flag Forever," is a 71-by-68-inch quilt with a vibrant red and yellow crown and the state motto as a centerpiece, bordered by four Hawaiian flags; in the blue stripes, Murray hand-embroidered in blue thread the lyrics to a song the queen wrote while imprisoned in 'Iolani Palace.

The elegantly simple quilt tells a story about the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and the enduring pride of the Hawaiian people, and Murray can't help but become emotional when she shares this piece of history of her people.

"This is my way of making a statement about being Hawaiian," said Murray, 63.

"Ku'u Hae Aloha Mau" is among 30 Hawaiian quilts Murray made over the past 18 years that will be displayed at "Hawaiian Quilt Inspirations," an exhibit March 15 through May 14 at the La Conner Quilt Museum in La Conner, Wash.