Choice of fabric is the most vital consideration for a quilting enthusiast. The fabric that is chosen makes or breaks the quilts beauty. If you come across a quilt that isn’t attractive then it has a lot to do with the fabric that has been used on it. Experienced quilters always avoid these problems by purchasing fabric only from companies that they know and trust. Hoffman Fabrics, a California based company, has proven its value to quilters all over the country. They have been around since 1924.
If you conduct a search on the net on quilting fabrics, the name Hoffman will definitely pop up. Hoffman specializes in screen-printed high quality cotton and cotton blends. They also produce dyed and hand painted fabrics. They introduce a new line of fabrics every single year and it is popularly known as ‘Luscious Balis and colorful prints.’ There fabrics are truly inspiring and its not just a market hype. If you take a look at the wide variety of fabrics and colors that they have to offer you wont be surprised why they are the first choice for quilters all over the country. Not only this, Hoffman has also shown a great deal of support to quilters. Hoffman challenge, which started in 1987, is proof of this.
Each year, one upcoming fabric design is chosen by the talents of Hoffman fabrics to be used in the challenge. Doll-makers, accessory and clothing designers and quilt makers alike are challenged to make use of the fabric in designing an item that is original. The entries that win are featured in a travel show that is known to stop at museums, shops, galleries and quilting guilds. Quilters made 94 entries in the first year of the challenge. Up to 700 have been made since then. Not only this, the traveling show too has gained immense popularity with 12 collections traveling nationwide. They even stop at Canada.
Hoffman promotes the quilting art in a number of other ways apart from the challenge. Pine Needles Design’s designer McKenna Ryan has agreed to pair with Hoffman to create patterns that are based on their fabrics. Because Hoffman batik fabric has an increased thread count that helps in preventing fraying, Ryan likes to use it for her appliqu