MIDNIGHT STROLL
by Renata Beason
Craig, CO
"'Midnight Stroll' is an original design and culmination of my love for all the things in oriental theme. The fabric was a nice challenge but with fussy cut I am very happy with an outcome.
On the black cotton background, I use challenge fabrics that was fussy cut and needle turn for an applique, hand embroidery for the detail with metallic thread and floss, Swarovski crystals to add little spark. The piping was hand made with one of the challenge fabrics and 4mm beads. I did free motion quilting with ruler work."
GARDEN STATE BIG BIRD
by SuZanne Gilbride
Cypress, TX
"'Garden State Big Bird' was a fun project during Lockdown for COVID-19. I had a need to do something fun to keep me smiling. I enjoyed playing with animal faces, real and made-up. This one just kept me smiling, playing with the Hoffman fabric's and Aurifil thread's trying to make something that worked with the combination of fabric's Hoffman Fabric Garden State, Aurifil thread, pellon 805 wonder-under, Hobbs 20/80 Black Batting. Ruff Edge Appliqué and thread work and crystals."
THERE'S A PEACOCK IN MY GARDEN!
by Barbara Stover
Waldo, OH
"This quilt features all 6 of the Challenge fabrics. Every garden deserves
a glorious peacock!
This appliqued quilt is heavily beaded with a mix of shell, glass, and antique jewelry beads. Each bead is sewn on by hand. The feathers are outlined with couched floss. The applique and quilting were completed by machine."
CONNECTING THE DOTS
by Cathy Sperry
Fort Worth, TX
"‘Connecting the Dots’ is an original design that incorporates 4 of the challenge fabrics. Use of value in different colors creates dimension and movement, and a variety of different types of beads presents a surprise upon closer inspection. Connecting the dots seems to sum up the journey for a lot of my successes in life.
Machine pieced, hand pieced, paper piecing, machine quilted, hand beaded, piped binding."
FRACTURED FLOWER FANTASY GARDEN
by Diana Nelson
Breckenridge, CO
"A great challenge that came during a time of personal crisis. A challenge that helped heal, motivate, and inspire to be who I am in the quilting arts. The quilt represents my "fractured" life after losing my spouse to illness after a long mobile and carefree life of fantasy adventures that came true. We always stopped to "smell the flowers" wherever we lived.
Total of 3 yards of the "Garden State of Mind" collection: Big Sur, Spring, and Meadow are the chosen challenge fabrics for my quilt. Miscellaneous scrap pieces of 100% cotton fabric that frame the irregular flower blocks. Solid and variegated cotton thread. It is an original free-form piece with irregular pieced blocks then cut and pieced together with added strips."
IKEBANA
by A. Leigh Ingram
Kingwood, TX
"Ikebana is the ancient Japanese art of arranging flowers. As in Ikebana design, I sought to bring the inner beauty of the floral challenge fabrics. I utilized trapunto techniques to develop additional dimension in the vases. The flower styles mimic those blooming in the challenge fabrics. In the thread painting, I allowed each flower to guide me in color selection. Micro-stippling the background further allowed the flowers and vases to reveal their glory. I had a baby bear moment with the binding. The black background? Too dark! The challenge fabrics? Too light! But the wooden shelf? Just right!"
AND THE RIVER FLOWS IT
by Sharon Schlotzhauer
Aurora, CO
"This quilt represents the idea that even in the midst of loss, difficulty, and uncertainty that so many have experienced this past year; the ‘flow’ of life does, and must, continue on.
100% cotton fabric, Floriani polyester thread, Kimono silk thread, Quilter's Dream 80/20 cotton poly, and Hobbs Heirloom Wool batting. Machine piecing, machine applique, machine quilting on a domestic machine."
BIG SUR MODERN
by Katherine Dossman
Belton, TX
"Bright and bold colors are my favorite. I was introduced to improv in the last few years and enjoy this freeing technique, so I decided to design a modern quilt with this year’s challenge fabric. Curved piecing, hand embroidery and big stitch quilting and texture and invites the viewer to look closer at the piece.
Cotton fabric for top and back, Hobbs 80/20 for batting. Aurifil thread for piecing. Improv and original design. Hand embroidery and big stitch quilted with 12WT"
WHICH WAY DID THEY GO – 21
by Patti Kupferer
Mesa, AZ
"My husband (the Laird) made me do it.
I designed both the piecing and the quilting. The flying geese were paper pieced using all six Hoffman challenge fabrics and Kona solids for accents. Kona white was used in the background and backing. All piecing and quilting were done in Aurifil threads. The only exception was that Superior Kimono Silk 373 which was used for hand stitching the back side of the bias binding and for attaching the sleeve. I used two layers of batting: Warm & White Cotton and Hobbs Heirloom Wool."
A QUIET MOMENT
by by Sharon Schlotzhauer
Aurora, CO
"I designed this quilt to be on the more ‘gentle’ or ‘quiet’ side by choosing muted tones and colors. During this past year of covid – a time of uncertainty and tragedy around the entire world - I found myself doing more reflective thinking and praying and searching for something positive. These quiet moments have been crucial for me.
100% cotton fabric, Floriani polyester thread, Sulky polylite thread, Wonderfil metallic thread, Quilters Dream 80/20 cotton/poly batting. Machine piecing, fused applique, machine appliqued edges, trapunto, machine quilting on a domestic machine."
GARDEN DELIGHTS
by Cherri Kincaid
Merritt Island, FL
"This year’s fabrics gave me an impressionist painting vibe. I decided to do my version of a floral impressionist painting. I have created an original design hoping to capture the beauty of a garden’s bounty.
I have used 100% Hoffman fabrics and 100% Aurifil threads. The background is pieced by machine and the flowers and appliqued vases, birds, etc., were created using my Brother Luminaire embroidery and sewing machine. The background is quilted with Aurifil threads also using my Luminaire machine. I have also added crystals to the birds, butterflies, and the flowers to give the quilt some sparkle!"
RETURN OF ZEN
by Ann Marsh
Hartford, WI
"As the storm of the year 2020 rages outside, the tea master has just struck the gong to invite inside to regain your Zen in the year 2021"
LOLLIPOP GARDEN
by Denise DuBois
Dunbarton, NH
"The colorful wispy floral elements of the 'Spring' and 'Big Sur' fabric reminded me of large 'Rainbow Swirl Lollipops' one would find at a candy shop. I decided that circular 'flowers' made from these floral prints along with long stems and leaves set against a rich blue-green background would create a nice garden effect, thus the name 'Lollipop Garden'.
MATERIALS: • 4 Hoffman Challenge fabrics (Spring, Meadow, Big Sur, Cypress) • Hoffman "Chasing Waterfalls Batiks Atlantic Leaf Stripe" • 3 Various Green Batiks • Silk Blend Batting TECHNIQUES: • Hand Appliqué • Machine Piecing • Machine Quilting • Bias-Bound Seams • Hand-Stitched Bias Binding"
TRANQUIL WATERS COAT
by Kathy Knapp
Belpre, OH
"In the midst of pandemic lockdown, I undertook a virtual vacation escape to a beautiful Caribbean beach. The color palette of the Hoffman challenge fabrics were used to imagine a white sandy beach, with the turquoise hues suggestive of warm tropical waters. The beaded design and appliqué were employed to suggest tall palm trees or aquatic kelp. The design of these elements on the skirt are inverted to give the effect of a reflection upon a still intertidal lagoon.
The surface design of this coat-dress employs free-motion quilting, traditionally pieced patchwork set on point, fusible applique’, hand-beading, and fabric manipulation. I used a fabric shrinking method for each section to create the 3-dimensional surface before construction. Rare vintage French trims were used for the vines or trunks on the solid panels. These were also used for both exterior and interior borders for the coat. Contrasting panels to the applique’ are fabricated from a single challenge fabric subdivided into small squares to create a contrasting dimensional surface. Recycled bracelet pieces were used for surface design focal points."
COAT, TOP & SKIRT
by Dana Lacy-Chapmen
Longmont, CO
"Soft, gentle breezes cool the evening and brought to mind this 3 piece ensemble. I traced some of the flowers in the S4756-580 fabric and digitized embroidery patterns to enhance the display and feel, using one on the top as well (with permission from Jean Impey). The ombre nature of the Hoffman Backsplash fabrics added movement and fun. The top provides a place for the eye to rest, using a layer of batiste over the hibiscus design. The other two coordinating fabrics that bind the neck and sleeves were used inside out to keep things quiet on that garment.
Hoffman fabrics S4756-580, S4755-550 and S4757-580, Hoffman Backsplash fabrics, Thermore batting, and Aurifil Mako Cotton 12 weight thread for the quilting. A layer of cotton batiste was used over the Challenge fabric for the top. Seminole piecing inspired by Dorothy Hanisko and French Braid technique by Jane Hardy Miller were used in the coat. Folkwear's Turkish Coat was the base pattern. Swirling Patchwork Skirt by Anne Dutton was used for the skirt with some variation."
COURTYARD BAG
by Denise DeBois
Dunbarton, NH
"I thought the painterly quality of the "Meadow" and "Cypress" fabric would add interesting texture to the coiled fabric technique I used for the front and back of the bag. When completed, it reminded me of stonework in a courtyard.
MATERIALS: • 4 Hoffman Challenge fabrics (Spring, Meadow, Big Sur, Cypress) • Hoffman "Chasing Waterfalls Batiks Atlantic Leaf Stripe" • 3 Various Green Batiks • Silk Blend Batting TECHNIQUES: • Hand Appliqué • Machine Piecing • Machine Quilting • Bias-Bound Seams • Hand-Stitched Bias Binding"
PETAL POOCHER PATCHWORK PURSE
by Sonja Davison
Suffield, CT
"I love participating in the Hoffman Challenge because it gives me the opportunity to try techniques I have not done before.
The Petal Poocher Patchwork Purse has been created entirely out of quilting cottons, woven interfacing, Thermolam, and Pellon Flex Foam. I used a new to me technique in a unique way; I created Dresden panels for the upper portion of the bag and for the straps. The Pooch, which wraps around the bag, was done entirely using in the hoop embroidery and was the inspiration for the Dresden panels. I also added some quilting for interest. This was a very fun and rewarding challenge!"
JENSEN'S SECRET TURTLE
by Betty Griffin
Ashland City, TN
"When my grandson Easton started losing his baby teeth, I made him a tooth fairy pillow. He has insisted his younger brother, Jensen needed one too. It needed to be a turtle since that is Jensen's favorite creature.
All three Hoffman materials are represented in the turtle with the green color working out appropriately. The zipper on the side allows for a pocket to put tooth fairy teeth in. The Aurifill thread on the top and bottom show the turtle's shell design. There is a pull tab with a "J' for Jensen on the zipper in his favorite color ORANGE!"
GARDEN DELIGHTS
by Cherri Kincaid
Merritt Island, FL
Category: Mixed Techniques
(combination of 2 or more techniques)
"This year’s fabrics gave me an impressionist painting vibe. I decided to do my version of a floral impressionist painting. I have created an original design hoping to capture the beauty of a garden’s bounty.
I have used 100% Hoffman fabrics and 100% Aurifil threads. The background is pieced by machine and the flowers and appliqued vases, birds, etc., were created using my Brother Luminaire embroidery and sewing machine. The background is quilted with Aurifil threads also using my Luminaire machine. I have also added crystals to the birds, butterflies, and the flowers to give the quilt some sparkle!"
TRANQUIL WATERS COAT
by Kathy Knapp
Belpre, OH
Category: Garment
"In the midst of pandemic lockdown, I undertook a virtual vacation escape to a beautiful Caribbean beach. The color palette of the Hoffman challenge fabrics were used to imagine a white sandy beach, with the turquoise hues suggestive of warm tropical waters. The beaded design and appliqué were employed to suggest tall palm trees or aquatic kelp. The design of these elements on the skirt are inverted to give the effect of a reflection upon a still intertidal lagoon.
The surface design of this coat-dress employs free-motion quilting, traditionally pieced patchwork set on point, fusible applique’, hand-beading, and fabric manipulation. I used a fabric shrinking method for each section to create the 3-dimensional surface before construction. Rare vintage French trims were used for the vines or trunks on the solid panels. These were also used for both exterior and interior borders for the coat. Contrasting panels to the applique’ are fabricated from a single challenge fabric subdivided into small squares to create a contrasting dimensional surface. Recycled bracelet pieces were used for surface design focal points."
WHICH WAY DID THEY GO - 21
by Patti Kupferer
Mesa, AZ
Category: Modern Techniques
"My husband (the Laird) made me do it.
I designed both the piecing and the quilting. The flying geese were paper pieced using all six Hoffman challenge fabrics and Kona solids for accents. Kona white was used in the background and backing. All piecing and quilting were done in Aurifil threads. The only exception was that Superior Kimono Silk 373 which was used for hand stitching the back side of the bias binding and for attaching the sleeve. I used two layers of batting: Warm & White Cotton and Hobbs Heirloom Wool."
HOFFMAN FAMILY
AWARD WINNER
GARDEN STATE BIG BIRD
by SuZanne Gilbride
Cypress, TX
Category: Appliquéd
"'Garden State Big Bird' was a fun project during Lockdown for COVID-19. I had a need to do something fun to keep me smiling. I enjoyed playing with animal faces, real and made-up. This one just kept me smiling, playing with the Hoffman fabric's and Aurifil thread's trying to make something that worked with the combination of fabric's Hoffman Fabric Garden State, Aurifil thread, pellon 805 wonder-under, Hobbs 20/80 Black Batting. Ruff Edge Appliqué and thread work and crystals."