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Congratulations to all the winners of the Hoffman 2025-26 Challenge!

Every year, the Hoffman Challenge inspires quilters to create something extraordinary—and this year was no exception. We were amazed by the imagination, detail, and artistry sewn into every submission. Join us in celebrating this year’s winners and the beautiful artworks that captured our hearts.

All entries were evaluated using a numerical scoring system across several categories including Visual Impact, Use of Challenge Fabrics, Design, Creativity & Originality, Quilting, Craftsmanship and Workmanship.

Each judge naturally brings their own perspective and experience to the process. Some may respond more strongly to precision piecing and finishing details, others to visual impact, creativity, or quilting execution. Because judging panels change from year to year, the emphasis and outcomes can vary slightly as well, which is part of what keeps the Challenge dynamic and interesting.

And the winners are…

APPLIQUE CATEGORY

First Place: SAKURA SUNRISE by Joyce L. Cambron of Boise, ID

“For several years I have been hanging on to a tiny picture of a small metal sculpture (wall art) from a gift catalog. This year’s collection of Hoffman Challenge fabrics was finally the inspiration I needed to enlarge the picture and actualize my version of that artwork.” Joyce L. Cambron

According to the judges, Sakura Sunrise was especially admired for its composition, handwork, and overall execution. The use of Aurifil thread and the quality of the appliqué work helped it stand out in multiple categories.


Second Place: AMUS – GUARDIAN OF THE PRAIRIE by Liz Wagstrom of Faribault, MN

“The American bison serves as the guardian of the prairies both ecologically and culturally. I wanted to portray the majesty of the species in this quilt. I was inspired by the painting Inner Light by Megan Wimberley who graciously gave me permission to utilize her work. I constructed the eye first and felt like he watched me for the hundreds of hours I worked on him, so I gave him the name Amus – full of love. While sometimes I felt like he was judging me as I worked, I also felt like he welcomed my admiration and dedication!” Liz Wagstrom

Third Place: DAISY FIELD by Linda Bealmer of Mapleton, IL

“I was inspired to create this design after seeing a wall hanging in a pizza restaurant. I couldn’t tell what it was made of because it was too high up on the wall. It could be painted wood, canvas, or cloth, but was large. I was given permission to take a picture, and when I saw the Hoffman Challenge colors, I thought it was a good opportunity to create my version of the wall hanging.” Linda Bealmer

PIECED CATEGORY

First Place: LOLLIPOPS by Kadee Porter of Boise, ID

“Lollipops is a playful, sugary-sweet quilt. Picture it centered on a round table, surrounded by stacks of birthday presents, pink and purple balloons, and a chocolate cake topped with pink and purple sprinkles – pretty please! This whimsical design originally began as peppermints, until my husband remarked that the swirling shapes resembled the all-day suckers he remembers from his childhood. Since “All-Day Sucker” is a terrible name for a quilt, the idea evolved into “Lollipops” and was a perfect fit for this year’s Hoffman Challenge fabrics.” Kadee Porter

Second Place: CELESTIAL COMPASS by Elaine F. Class of Aurora, CO

“I drafted this quilt myself after not finding a suitable pattern. I also pieced it and quilted it on my Elna sewing machine. I like to see depth and motion in my work, and I believe that I accomplished it in this quilt.” Elaine F. Class


Third Place: HOFFMAN CELEBRATION by Barbara Stover of Waldo, OH

“This pieced quilt features freehand quilting with a double-top thread. The “gems” are salvaged from sweaters. I wanted to represent joy in the fabrics with this design.” Barbara Stover

GARMENT CATEGORY


First Place: CORSET CURVES by Dorothy Floral of Signal Hill, CA

“My chosen Project was quite the challenge for me. I decided to make a bustier, based on the corset construction but with a modern twist. I draped the style, made the pattern. Then proceeded to make my own fabric. By cutting 2 ½” strips and sewing them together creating “Curved Strips” (a new method for me) Then using the random sewn strips, cut the bodice. The skirt I wanted something short & “Flirty”. Using my own pattern with an elastic waist. Finding the notions was as challenging. The zipper, downtown Los Angeles, the trim, Hawthorne, the grommets and Coutil from Richard the Thread.” Dorothy Floral


Second Place: PINK & PURPLE by Denise J. DuBois of Dunbarton, NH

“I have two grown daughters. One daughter has always loved pink, and the other daughter has always loved purple. I also have two granddaughters. One granddaughter loves pink, and the other granddaughter loves purple. This pink and purple jacket is a tribute to my four most favorite girls. May love and positive energy always swirl around them!” Denise J. DuBois

Third Place: BIRDS AND AMETHYST BATIKS by Patricia Dews of Daytona Beach Shores, FL

“Making wearable art allows me to express my creativity and originality. The fabric choices for this year’s challenge are beautiful batiks. I put the challenge fabrics on my design wall until I was inspired, and an idea popped into my mind. I recently moved to Florida and became enamored with the large, beautiful birds I encountered. The challenge fabric’s pink colors were perfect for flamingos. I wanted to include pelicans because they fly by my condo windows.” Patricia Dews

ACCESSORIES CATEGORY


First Place: STYLISH DOG by Patricia M. James of Fredericksburg, VA

“For the dog that has everything, why not a quilted coat? Why not a leash and a poop bag?” Patricia M. James


Second Place: HAPPY FEET by Karen Mazowiecki of Wayne, NJ

“These custom sneakers celebrate Hoffman’s stunning 2025/2026 Amethyst collection. By crafting these fabrics into wearable art, I’m taking the joy of quilting beyond the studio and into daily life. Each step becomes an opportunity to share the artistry and craftsmanship of textile design, proving that gorgeous fabrics can be both functional and fashionable.” Karen Mazowiecki


Third Place: WINE & ROSES by Denise J. DuBois of Dunbarton, NH

“The fabrics used in this handbag reminded me of the beautiful Wine & Roses Weigela bush in our yard with its dark purplish burgundy leaves and electric pink flowers, thus the name, Wine & Roses.” Denise J DuBois

MIXED CATEGORY

First Place: PAPA BEAR by Luana D. Rubin of Boulder, CO

“This piece is my thank you to the Hoffman family. I have known 3 generations of their family and have appreciated how this S. California business has managed to navigate the changes in our industry and still have that California Surfer vibe. This challenge really inspired me because purple is my favorite color! It is also a nod to the bear on the California flag. I used my bear photos from a couple wildlife photo trips to Alaska. This Papa Bear is giving us a steady gaze, recalling an experience I had in the forest with an adult bear.” Luana D Rubin

Papa Bear is also the winner of the Hoffman Family Award. This award is separate from the formal judging categories. Since Hoffman is a family-owned business, the judges invite participating family members, schedule permitting, to personally select a piece for special recognition.


Second Place: STILL BLOOMING AND GROWING, NO MATTER WHAT by Orit Modiano of Ramat Gan, Israel

“Despite the hardship, I go on creating and seeing life in color.” Orit Modiano

Third Place: THE RAINBOW CROW by Cherri Kincaid from Merritt Island, FL

“The idea was to make a deliberate confusion between the two structures. Creating a sort of surrealist interpretation where the bird is turning into the plant. Each square is a self-contained design, which when put together using different colors of fabric reveals another larger design. The Rainbow Crow sacrificed his beautiful colors by carrying fire from heaven to warm the animals on earth from the snow.” Cherri Kincaid

MODERN CATEGORY

First Place: LIKE A TREE FIRMLY PLANTED by Sharon L. Schlotzhauer of Aurora, CO

“This stylized, modern work is Inspired by Psalm 1:3… “…He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water…” I had wanted to make a quilt with a single large tree for a long time so started sketching the plans for this piece. The amethyst collection of batik fabrics is so beautiful, 14 of them were used in the form of ‘tiles.’ A lovely fabric in my ‘stash’ complimented the challenge batiks beautifully but I couldn’t make myself cut into it; thus, the whole-cloth backdrop. Dense quilting fills the background to both accentuate the trapunto, and to give the raw-edge, fused appliqued elements a little more dimension.” Sharon L. Schlotzhauer

Second Place: NOURISH THE HEART by Becky A. Grover of Ann Arbor, MI

“These are just some of the many ways we can nourish our hearts.” Becky A Grover

Third Place: MAE MAES BLOOM by Katherine M. Dossman of Belton, TX

“I challenged myself to design a modern flower with improv piecing. Purple is a fabulous color and feels like royalty as does my cat Mae Mae. She was my inspiration.” Katherine M. Dossman

AURIFIL CATEGORY

First Place: AMETHYST IN BLOOM by Jacqueline Styner of Levittown, PA

“Amethyst in Bloom reflects my passion for quilting and designing unique pieces. I imagined amethyst crystals blooming into light, surrounded by delicate flowers. Using raw edge machine appliqué, free motion quilting, and hand embroidery, I combined bold shapes, flowing textures, and fine details to bring this vision to life. The quilt celebrates resilience and transformation, echoing how amethyst forms under pressure and blossoms into beauty through patience and creativity.” Jacqueline Styner

Second Place: FLAMINGO IN THE FLOWERS by Laina Strohm of Fayetteville, NC

“I love bird watching and these bright pink and purple fabrics were perfect for a flamingo. I used the arts and crafts style to create a floral background with simple stylized flowers and leaves.” Laina Strohm

Third Place: GOOD MORNING, MOTHER EARTH AND FATHER SKY THANK YOU FOR YOUR GIFTS by Linda W. Boynton De Sepulveda

“In the First Nations beliefs we give thanks for our gifts. Father Sky is the source of stars, rain, thunder and the teacher of tenderness, sternness and gentleness. Mother Earth is the source of all life. The morning glory was used to represent spiritual guidance. The flower opens at dawn and withers by evening. A poignant reminder to cherish the present moment, embrace beauty as it is fleeting.” Linda W. Boynton De Sepulveda

HOFFMAN HONORABLE MENTIONS

Hoffman Honorable Mentions are pieces that were personal favorites of individual judges or Hoffman family members. Papa Bear, Sakura Sunrise, Happy Feet and Amethyst in Bloom (shown above) were all selected, as well as the pieces pictured below.


ELEPHANT IN PARADISE   by Renata Beason of Craig, CO
LOROPETALUM IN BLOOM by Joyce Ryder of Baton Rouge, LA

AMETHYST FENDER GUITAR by Julie Atlas from Reno, NV
BOTTLED by Mikie J. Bair from Phoenix, AZ
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A Quick h+h 2026 Recap

I’m back from a wonderful, inspiring, exhausting and FUN trip to the h+h show! I made many new friends, reconnected with old friends, and saw lots and lots and lots of creativity. I really loved the format of the show, as opposed to the “old” Quilt Market, since it combined crochet, knitting and other needle work crafts with the quilting side of things. One thing I learned is that crafters don’t limit their creativity to just one medium! After a day or two of “collapse days” (that’s a new priceless term from my New Zealand friend, Susan Claire), I’m almost recovered from my whirlwind trip.

A calm moment in the booth. The featured quilt is Moving Emotion by A Lee B Creative using the Hoffman Bali Batiks Deep Blue Reefs collection.

I saw lots of opportunities to make new connections, uniting designers, vendors and teachers with outlets to sell, promote and distribute.  Fabric manufacturers and distributors were both on the hunt for the latest and greatest, and I saw lots of new faces getting some well-deserved attention. That’s a hint for you to attend the next event, in case I’m being too subtle! The show had record attendance, and I’m sure Houston (October 1-2) will be even busier.

I looked for trends, and asked several of my fellow attendees for their thoughts. And if you were there, please comment and share below! I can’t say much about the yarn side, except that the variety and quality were phenomenal. I did notice lots of Amigurumi, or in other words, miniature stuffed creatures (yes, I looked that up). Since I can’t imagine even knitting a sock, and as Susan pointed out, the problem is that even if you finish one sock, you still have to knit another, I was impressed with the infinite detail and fine workmanship.

Aroma Primavera, the newest Palette of the Season project, made its debut.

Speaking of tiny things, I did notice that several quilt pattern designers used miniature quilts to display their patterns. With the ability to print a high-res image on fabric, this was a brilliant idea. With a little quilting they truly looked like they were pieced, and easily showed multiple quilt patterns in a small space. On another note, I thought the full-size quilts on display were quilted much more densely than I’ve seen in the past few years, and also quilts with smaller pieces were more prominent. Curved piecing is also picking up steam, in my opinion, as the next generation of quilters is flexing their skills.

Thimtec Thimble Tape comes on a roll and will protect your fingers from heat and punctures.

Since applique and three-dimensional sewing appeared to be a bit more popular, I have to mention the best new to me notion: Thimtec Thimble Tape. It can mold to your fingers, sticking to itself, not you, and comes in multiple colors. It’s even reusable! From someone who constantly burns their fingers doing appliqué, I’m debating how many rolls I really need.

There was always a friendly face in the Hoffman California Fabrics booth! Margaret Jones, rep extraordinaire, may or may not have had an eye on the new plaids…

Checks, plaids and wovens from yarn-dyed to digital prints are back, and Hoffman California Fabrics was not one to miss out. Their new line, Secret Garden Tea Company, features luscious plaids that were featured prominently in a quilt, but I noticed more than one rep surreptitiously eyeing them for future garments.


Each of the 20 projects guides you through the simple process of creating adorable pincushions.

The overall industry focus of the event was on sustainable crafting, with the prestigious Golden Scissors Award for Sustainability (presented by the Craft Industry Alliance) going out to Smart Art + Craft Supplies, an organization that keeps thousands of pounds of art supplies out of landfills and gives them a second life with artists, teachers, and students. While your stash probably doesn’t weigh thousands of pounds, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Susan Claire’s new book, Put a Pin in It, was right on target, encouraging makers of all levels to use scraps from their fabric stash and be creative with choices. See, you too can do your part.

Until next time, Karen


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Best Loved: McKenna Ryan

McKenna at work in her studio

I reached out to McKenna Ryan, aka my new best friend (girl crush wishful thinking), and asked for a bit of insight into her latest collection for Hoffman California Fabrics, Best Loved:  Recreating the Past, Designing the Future. She was inspiring, so of course I had to share!

“Every quilt I design begins the same way: on paper. I sketch until I understand the composition, until the structure feels right and I know what I’m trying to build.  But the design doesn’t truly come to life until I move to my fabric table.  That’s where everything begins to come together.  Fabrics are laid out, shifted, layered, as color and texture slowly form a story.  

In the early years of Pine Needles, my design company, I discovered Hoffman California Fabrics’ beautiful batiks and fell in love.  Their batiks became the foundation of so many of my early quilt designs, and I still love and rely on them today.  However, as I grew as a quilt pattern designer, I began searching for fabrics that could bring my nature-inspired designs to life beyond batiks, but what I needed didn’t really exist at that time. I was looking for subtle gradations, depth and various textures; the kinds of fabrics that could create dimensional wildlife like bears, moose, eagles and deer, as well as other elements and textures of nature.  I wanted soft ombres that would make fur feel alive and dimensional, sky-tree-water prints for landscapes of pine forests and mountain lakes in all seasons, and the bark, aspens, ferns and fish textures that would enable me to create my layered appliques.

At Home in the Woods, 62″ x 69″. The complete set of 12 patterns for this quilt can be found on the Pine Needles website.

I realized that to fully express what I was envisioning, I would need to create my own print lines with the textures I’d been longing to find.  That realization began a treasured partnership with Hoffman California Fabrics, as I developed collections such as At Home in the Woods, Silent Inspirations and Painted Forest. These fabrics became my signature palette, and helped me “paint” the stories in some of my most meaningful work.  And while I love creating new collections and exploring new directions, there are certain textures I always return to; the ones that feel essential, which is what led to my Best Loved collection.

Best Loved is a gathering of the fabrics I’ve used the most, trusted the most and loved the longest, all brought together into a cohesive collection.  Not just as individual prints, but as a working foundation for creating.  They are also the fabrics customers have loved most and have asked for over and over.

With Best Loved bringing McKenna’s archival fabrics back to life, quilters can finally recreate Calling Me Home using its original prints. Traditional kits for the full quilt are in stores now, as well as individual block kits, each designed to stand alone beautifully as a wall hanging. Check with your local quilt store for availability!

When I began pulling the Best Loved fabrics together, something clicked. I could see how they all connected—not just to each other, but to the quilts they helped me create, such as Dog Park and Wind in the Whiskers and Calling Me Home. Those quilts hold meaning not just for me, but also for so many quilters.   For years, I’ve been asked if my Calling Me Home quilt could be recreated exactly as it was originally designed. With my Best Loved collection, that is finally possible.

But it isn’t only about looking back, it’s also about moving forward. From these same beloved fabrics came something entirely new:  Among the Birches. This design carries the same language, those nature-based textures that have defined my work, but expresses them in a fresh, new way. But in many ways, Among the Birches could not exist without everything that came before it, which is also what makes my Best Loved collection so meaningful to me.

Among the Birches is a 6 month series; the five interior blocks with a Birch Grove Border and finishing pattern as the 6th pattern.

Best Loved isn’t just a fabric collection; it’s a bridge. A bridge between quilts like Calling Me Home, which carry years of memory and connection, and new designs like Among the Birches, which reflect where my work is going. The same palette is used to tell both stories, to recreate the past, and to design the future. And to me, that’s what gives the work continuity over time.  Not repeating what came before but building from something that continues to evolve. Because the things that matter to me most, story, texture, nature and connection, don’t really go out of style, they just deepen over time. And they continue to find their way into new work.”

But wait, there’s more! Don’t miss out on the new McKenna Ryan Look Book, featuring her latest collections and project inspiration. Most are in stores now, so be sure to check with your local quilt shop.

Until next time, Karen