The choice of fabric is one of the most important factor to consider before you start your first quilting project. It is essential to learn the basics of various types of fabric. It is a fact that a beautiful quilt depends on the type of fabric the quilter chooses. Any unattractive quilts probably has a lot to do with the type of fabric chosen. In this article, we are going to talk about one of the quality fabric which is chosen by many quilters, Hoffman Fabric.
Hoffman fabric is a California-based company who has proven their value to quilters for many years since 1924. Visit any quilting stores, you will surely see the name, Hoffman Fabric. Hoffman specialize in high-quality screen-printed cottons and blends. They also produce hand-painted and dyed fabrics. Every year the company introduces two new lines of fabric, which they call "colorful prints and luscious Balis." They call their fabrics "inspiring" and that is not marketing hype. One look at the abundant richness of the color and designs of Hoffman Fabrics and you will see why they have been adopted by quilters as a must-have cloth.
Hoffman has shown incredible support to quilters. This is evident in the Hoffman Challenge, a contest which started in 1987. Every year, the talents at Hoffman Fabrics choose one of their upcoming fabric designs to feature in the Challenge. Quilt-makers, clothing and accessory designers and doll-makers are then challenged to use the fabric to design an original item. The winning entries are then featured in a traveling show which stops at galleries, museums, shops, and quilting guilds. The first year of the Hoffman Challenge, 94 quilters entered. Since then, up to 700 entries a year have been received. The traveling show itself is so popular that 12 collections now travel nationwide, with some stops in Canada as well.
Besides the Challenge, Hoffman actively promotes the art of quilting in other ways. The company has paired with designer McKenna Ryan of Pine Needles Designs to create patterns based on Hoffman fabrics. Ryan says she likes to use Hoffman batik fabric for appliqué work because it has a high thread count that prevents fraying. The designer, like so many other quilters, is also appreciative of the depth of color and texture in Hoffman fabrics. Using these fabrics, she can design incredibly lush and intricate quilts based on nature.
Perhaps one of the secret's to the company's success is the family nature of the business. Three generations of Hoffmans are currently involved in the daily operations of the firm. It may interest contemporary quilters to know that much of the company's design philosophy stems from the fifties, when Philip and Walter Hoffman, sons of the original founder, joined the company. They brought with them their love of surfing and translated it to original designs of the ocean, beaches, and surfing life. Combining their passions with a knack for seeking out unusual printing processes for fabrics, the Hoffman sons helped to create a company that is beloved of quilters everywhere.
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Quilters' Quotes - Author Unknown
~Those who sleep under a quilt, sleep under a blanket of love.
~A bed without a quilt is like a sky without stars.
~I'm in therapy and sewing is cheaper than a psychiatrist.
~Love is the thread that binds us.
~When I learned to sew, I forgot how to cook.
~Our lives are like quilts - bits and pieces, joy and sorrow, stitched with love.
~A quilt will warm your body and comfort your soul.
~Quilters know all the angles.
~Quilt 'til you wilt.
~When life throws you scraps, make a quilt.
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