Cup of Gold is one of nearly 5000 quilts documented by the Nebraska Quilt Project between 1987 and 1989, but its origins are far from the Cornhusker state. Marion Wright made the quilt near Ewa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii where her husband was stationed as an officer at Barber’s Point Naval Air Station. As did many women at this time without quilting experience, she found a teacher. Mealii Kalama, a native of the island, taught Wright to make a traditional Hawaiian-style appliqué quilt with echo quilting. Wright made two quilts in this style.