I absolutely love (virtually) meeting new designer friends! This week I had the pleasure of chatting with Lisa Alley from Bear Hug Quiltworks, a quilt pattern designer extraordinaire, with a background in Civil Engineering. You can bet her quilt math is spot on! Lisa shared she once worked as a Bernina Tech and did a stint as a fabric rep. Plus she currently long-arm quilts for customers. It’s safe to say she has done it all in the quilting world, as you’ll read below. Here’s a bit from our conversation:
Q: How long have you been designing patterns? A: I’ve been “seriously” designing patterns for about 14 years. I mostly design quilts, although I recently designed a table runner that Hoffman has kitted. That was fun and it has me thinking about other small projects. But my favorite will probably always be designing quilts.
Q: What got you started as a pattern designer? A: I was making samples for our local quilt shop and started making up patterns for fabrics that were hanging out in the shop a little too long. They had some Hoffman Bali tiles that everyone thought were beautiful but they didn’t know what to make with them. So, I made up a pattern using them and a bunch of batiks. Their Hoffman fabric rep, Kim Denault, took a photo of the quilt hanging in the shop and sent it to Hoffman, and everything took off from there.
Blue Earth perfectly captures the artistry of each focal print. Fabrics are from Land Sea Sky, a Hoffman Spectrum Digital Print collection by Jon Van Zyle.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to sew? A: I actually like simple, repetitive blocks but changing up the color and fabric combinations. I love seeing how different colors and scales change the look of a block. I don’t really have a particular style; I’d say, “I’m inclusive,” since I like it all!
A favorite class room pattern, the Brickyard quilt top, 76″ x 80″, can be made in a day! The pattern also comes in a Baby Quilt size, which Lisa swears can be made in an hour.
Q: Do you teach classes? If so, a lot? and what do you teach/lecture on? Do you have a most popular class? A: I teach occasionally at our local shop and for guilds. It’s not my favorite thing to do because I’m fairly introverted, but once I’m there, I really enjoy the people in the class and seeing their progress. The class I’ve taught the most is my Brickyard pattern. Most students finish the quilt top in a day class if they come to class with the strips already cut. It’s fun to see the different color combinations.
I do love to do programs for guilds. I have a few I do locally:
“What a Judge Sees” where I walk them
through the judging process and what the judge is looking for and why
“History of Quilting in North Carolina”
which is based on the NC Museum of History’s book plus a little more
information I’ve found
“Calming the Chaos” based off a friend’s
intervention of my messy studio and what we did to organize the space
And of course, trunk shows, my favorite!
Q: Feel free to gush about the quality of Hoffman’s Batiks 🙂 A: Hands down the best batiks! I love the feel of them and the color saturation. So yummy! (I have to agree!)
A sweet array of framed beauties makes for a picturesque design in Lisa’s Pinebluff pattern, shown in Nesting Hour, a Hoffman Spectrum Digital Print.
I also chatted with Lisa about her work style. With a Quilt Studio
behind the house, and a self-sufficient husband (her words), she puts in more
than an eight-hour day, seven-days a week. Clearly, she loves what she does,
and I can attest she’s good at it! However, she did say that “Sometimes
it’s hard to come up with a new idea.” But with eighteen (yes I counted)
new patterns in the current Hoffman project book, I’m not sure I believe her!
You can purchase Lisa’s Bear Hug Quiltworks patterns through her website, at bearhugquiltworks.com/patterns. Shops can also purchase through Checker Distributors.
Look for more from Lisa in the future! I know I’m looking forward to it. Until next time, Karen
Summer has officially overwhelmed me! I’ve been swamped with projects, pattern writing, and of course a puppy! I decided to check in with my friend, SusanClaire of the GourmetQuilter in New Zealand, to see what was up with her, and ask if she was in the same boat. Full disclosure, I am ever so jealous of her cooler weather! Here’s what she had to say:
“We have been enjoying some wonderfully frosty mornings here lately. The paddocks have been sparkling white, the air has been crisp and clear, and even the barn has looked rather magical dressed in frost. It is definitely the sort of weather that makes the warmth and colour of quilting especially appealing!”
“While I have been busy organising and updating things behind the scenes, I have also added two patterns to the Gourmet Quilter website. They have very different personalities, but both offer plenty of enjoyable piecing and opportunities to play with colour – one rich and atmospheric, the other bright and cheerful.”
Dive into rich color with In the Depths, a striking pieced quilt featuring an intriguing arrangement of squares, framed blocks and slender accent strips. Shown in beautiful blue and green batiks by Hoffman California Fabrics, the design has a wonderful sense of depth and movement. Different fabric choices could give it an entirely new personality, making it a versatile design to interpret in your own colors. Measuring approximately 55″ square, In the Depths is suitable for confident beginners and more experienced quilters looking for an enjoyable piecing project. Bring a cheerful burst of color to your sewing with Sunshine and Showers, a pieced quilt combining bold geometric shapes with pretty star blocks and a framed center. Shown in colorful fabrics by Hoffman California Fabrics, the floral prints, fresh pastels and touches of purple create a design that feels bright, lively and full of springtime promise. The varied block sizes add plenty of visual interest while making this an enjoyable project to piece. Measuring approximately 56″ square, Sunshine and Showers is suitable for confident beginners as well as more experienced quilters looking for a colorful and satisfying project.
Lucky you, both are digital PDF patterns, ready to download after purchase from the GourmetQuilter website, so you can begin planning your fabrics straight away. Both patterns feature Hoffman California Fabrics, including one of their newest collections, Polka Plaids. Look for the fabrics soon in your local quilt shop.
Want to know more about SusanClaire , the Gourmet Quilter and her delicious quilts? Join her in the free GourmetQuilter Studio Corner, Until next time, Karen
“Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the background squares. With right sides together, place a background
square on a print square. Sew ¼” seam on each side of the line. Cut apart
on the line.”
How many times have I written that instruction? And how many
times have you read that in a pattern, then groaned when you realized that
there are at least 240 half-square triangles, flying geese or hour glass
blocks?
Scotch Magic Tape is the iconic invisible, matte-finish tape produced by 3M.
There’s really a simpler way, but you can’t always put all the detailed tips in a pattern. After all, it is a pattern, not a small novel. So, I thought I’d share some of my favorite tricks, using Scotch Magic tape. Yep, that stuff you use to wrap all your Christmas gifts. They call it Magic because it disappears on the wrapping paper, I call it Magic because it’s so inexpensive and ever-so-useful! I’m really not much of a gadget girl, but Magic tape is really indispensable (pun intended, sorry!)
Aroma Primavera, a 2026 Spring Palette of the Season quilt, will arrive in quilt shops soon.
Hopefully, these tips are just a bit timely as Aroma Primavera, a Palette of the Season project (with lots of triangles!) is beginning to show up in quilt shops around the country, and Cassie’s Blooms is coming soon.
Cassie’s Blooms will begin shipping in October 2026.
So how to avoid drawing all those diagonal lines? Use a length of Magic tape (almost any width will work) that is longer that the diagonal length of the square. In other words, slightly longer than the line you are asked to draw in the pattern. I like to lightly stick the tape to my (clean! i.e., free of threads) cutting mat, and using a fine line Sharpie, draw a vertical line on the tape. Then measure exactly ¼” away from the first line, and draw a second line.
Use the tip of a pin to gently pry the tape from the mat if it’s sticking too well, and place the tape on your sewing machine, centering the vertical line of the tape with the needle. The second line should be to the right of the needle.
Place a print square on a background square, aligning with diagonal of the square with your needle and your line. Voila! Speed piece away.
Need to sew ¼” on both sides of the line? No problem,
simply align your diagonal with the next line over. As far as cutting the
squares apart on the line, you can probably figure out that you simply need to
align your ruler with the diagonal to cut. Since I usually stack several
squares to cut, I never end up cutting exactly on the line anyway 🙂
If you need to change the bobbin, and it’s a top loader like my machine, you can peel back the tape and re-align it. The best part? If the tape gets “munged up” (technical term), just create a new Magic tape strip. It will probably cost you all of three cents. With pennies out of the picture, does that mean it’s free?
On to my next use of the tape, and this is a quickie, I promise. In the Aroma Primavera pattern, you need to square up a unit to 8 ½” square, centering the center square. That can be a bit tricky, even if you have an 8 ½” square ruler. My ruler didn’t have the center lines where I needed them to be. Once again, Magic tape to the rescue! I put tape on the back of the ruler, making a cross through the center. When I placed the ruler on top of my fabric square, I could use the lines to center the middle square of the block, and trim around the ruler. When I was done trimming all the blocks, I easily removed the tape, and like Magic, my ruler was ready for the next project.
I hope these simple suggestions make your sewing life easier. Let me know if you have some tips of your own to share! Until next time, Karen
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, COLOROPETALUM IN BLOOMby Joyce Ryder of Baton Rouge, LA AMETHYST FENDER GUITARby Julie Atlas from Reno, NV BOTTLEDby Mikie J. Bair from Phoenix, AZ
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.
In my last post, I talked about the Spring Catalogs,
featured on the Hoffman California Fabrics’ website. I’m expecting that by now
you’ve had a minute to look them over, and if not, I highly recommend you do! My
favorites are the Project Catalogs, and not just from this season. If you ever
need an inspo nudge, they are a perfect place to start! They are packed full of
projects that are sure to inspire a myriad of future quilts.
If you ever wondered who is the creative genius behind these
catalogs, let me give you a little peek behind the curtain. Meet Sandy
Muckenthaler, the Director of Creative Projects. She’s been with Hoffman
California Fabrics for over 40 years, starting with them as an order puller,
and moving through different roles including receptionist, working in the
design department, customer service, and finally spending the last 15-plus years
in her current and favorite role.
Sandy Muckenthaler, Director, Creative Projects. The background quilt is “Winter Birds” by the Gourmet Quilter.
I’ve had the pleasure to work with Sandy over the past
several years, and let me tell you, she is the most generous, tactful and
encouraging person that I have ever worked with. I just had to grill her a bit
about the process of putting the catalogs together, which to me, seems like a
massive task, since many of the catalogs are over 150 pages. That’s a lot of
designers and projects!
Sandy told me the catalog process starts three to four
months before the fabric release date, which is about the time she gets the
fabric strike offs and Bali Batik blankets. What? Blankets? “Yep, that’s
the term,” she said, “it’s funny, since some of the so-called
blankets are about the size of a fat quarter!”
From there she begins the task of pulling together
coordinates for each line, which by my count was about 12-14 different lines
for each catalog release. Coordinates are pulled from a combination of 24/7
Blenders, and Bali Basics, such as the 1895 Watercolors, 885 Dots, 1384 Smoothies
and 839 Mottles. Full disclosure: If Smoothies and Mottles were not known terms
to you, I didn’t know them either. Talk about learning something new every day!
Anyway, Sandy pulls at least a dozen (usually more) coordinates per line, 12-14
lines…are you getting the math here? For me, the coordinates can really help
“pop” the fabrics, so Sandy’s creative pairings are really helpful.
Choosing coordinate fabrics for the Secret Garden Tea Company collection (coming soon!)
Eventually, everything ends up as digital files, which are
then made accessible to her roster of 20-25 designers. As she explained to me,
“My intention is to make it as easy as possible for them to work their
magic.” The designers have approximately six to eight weeks to submit
their ideas, along with fabric requirements. The images and info all go into a
spreadsheet, which is then passed on to the in-house graphic design team, who
“Make everything pretty.”
The process is easy enough to understand, but yet I had
questions. And here’s where you’re going to learn just how diplomatic and
personable Sandy really is. When asked what is the biggest challenge is in
putting the catalogs together, she was hard pressed for an answer. (Trust me,
I’d be whining about oh, so many things.) “Actually,” she said,
“The hardest thing is not publishing every single pattern that is
submitted. We simply run out of room!”
I wondered what happens if they get submissions that are too
similar? “Surprisingly it doesn’t really happen because our designers are
so creative. I do look for new designs, and it’s a bonus when there’s a
connection between the fabric and the quilt design. I also look for pattern designs
that show off the fabric, versus patterns that cut the fabric into little tiny
pieces that are beyond recognition.” She went on to add, “The
designers have the option to work with fabric lines that speak to them, so
luckily, it all evens out, and we get a lot of variety, across all the lines. I
feel that our designers are the ones who bring our fabrics to life. I’m really
so grateful to them for all they do.”
I had one last question I had to ask: Do you have any teacher’s pets? While she answered that “I love all the designers equally,” I can vouch that she makes each and every one of us (yes, I am a member of the pattern design posse if you didn’t get that yet) feel like we’re the favorite. If you’re interested in designing projects in the future for Hoffman California Fabrics, look for Sandy at the h +h show. Now that you know what she looks like, she should be easy to find.
Three Breeze features three panels in an easy to stitch pattern.
I had a lovely snow day yesterday. I ironically used it to stitch up “Three Breeze,” a new quilt pattern I recently designed. The pattern features the new Seas & Greetings collection, by Hoffman California Fabrics, of course. The collection features a panel with a delightful vista of a sandy beach, complete with surf boards and palm trees. Ahh! I can almost feel the warm breeze. The prints that accompany the panel, featuring snowmen on the beach, seashells and more palm trees are just plain fun, and of course, well done. While it was super easy to stitch up, I’m always thinking of a few tips that might make you or your customers more successful.
The
first tip is included in the pattern, complete with a little picture of how to
use a triangle square up ruler to make those dreaded quarter-square triangles
easy and perfect! It all comes down to using a tiny speck of water-soluble glue
at
the seam corners of your untrimmed half-square triangles before you sew the next
step. See the arrow?
I like to use Quilt in a Day’s Triangle Square Up ruler (my favorite tool next to Elmer’s Clear School Glue–more on that later) to square up to the size you need. Place the base line of the ruler on the horizontal seam, and center the vertical line where the seams nest. Trim. TaDa! That tiny dot of glue will have kept the seams together and you’ll have perfect quarter-square triangles.
While I’m at it, allow me to share one more tip. If you know me, you know that I’m always harping about sewing an ⅛” around the outside of the quilt top with a longer stay stitch. But did you know it is also really helpful to do the same around the interior blocks of the quilt before you add the borders? Turn the quilt top over and stitch with the seam side up. Your quick little trip around the edge will keep all the seams in place, and also stabilize the outer edge, eliminating any stretching as you add the borders. And speaking of borders, you of course measured through the center of the quilt top to get the correct length, right?
I now have to fall on my sword and admit my shortcomings. In the pattern, I mistakenly said to make five“B” four-patch blocks. You only need to make three. I understand this error will put some into a tizzy, and I apologize. There is enough fabric to cut a few more squares for blocks you won’t need, but it does create a moment of panic. Or a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, which frankly put a damper on my beach bliss. Again, I’m sorry! The error is noted on the pattern corrections page of my Quilt Boss Design website.
If you need a little more inspiration, check out the Boardwalk pattern by Tourmaline & Thyme Quilts. What a great use of the border print to make a quick and fitting frame for the panel.
Seas & Greetings will begin shipping in June 2026.
Please leave a comment to let me know you’re here! I’d love to hear your thoughts. Karen
I’m not asking you about your reaction to the State of the Union address, or the things that may be stressing you out in life. Nope, I’m talking about using those magnificent little borders or “placeholder” strips in your quilts that make everything fit together, perfectly.
Now while my basic motto has always been “If it’s too
big, cut some off; If it’s too small, sew some on,” it is nice to
have everything fit together perfectly. Plus, coping strips can make almost any
panel pattern work with a panel that is close (0″ to 4″ in either
direction) in size. Since we all love the stunning panels produced by Hoffman
California Fabrics, it’s a good idea to know a bit about coping strips.
Grizzly Trail pattern. Look closely, and you’ll see there are not one, but two! coping borders around the Eagle panel.
As a pattern designer, I’m often working with digital panel
images—not the fabric panel. It’s not until I get the actual panel in my hands
to make a sample that I may have an “Oh No!” moment. Hence coping
strips and borders. You or your customers may have had a similar experience.
Maybe the panel is just a tiny bit smaller than the pattern calls for, or it
got pre-washed and shrunk a bit too much. As a shop owner, you’re supposed to
know how to fix all the problems!
The basic premise is simple, but you do have to work backwards a bit. For example, if the panel is surrounded by 6″ finished blocks, you know (ok, use a calculator) that seven 6″ finished blocks can frame a 42″ finished size panel. That’s easy. But if you really want to use all 43″ of the finished panel height, you’re going to need to add some coping strips either between the blocks, or at the top and bottom to make up 1″ in height. That’s awkward. Go the other way and make eight blocks. Eight 6″ blocks mean you need the panel “hole” to be 48″ tall. Adding a 2 ½” finished size strip at the top and bottom of the panel (43″ + 2 ½” + 2 ½”) makes it the perfect size. Notice that I’m always working in finished sizes. It’s easier to calculate everything that way, but don’t forget to add ½” to the finished size for cutting. In this case, you’d cut 3″ strips.
White Pine Lane Quilt with Medallion Center. Note the coping border around the center stars. There’s a second coping border (the purple one) before the block borders were added. Fabrics are from the Whispering Ferns collection.
If you’re not so hot on the math, there’s an easier way. White
Pine Lane, is a new pattern featuring Hoffman California Fabrics՚ Whispering
Ferns collection. It has a pieced
medallion center, and on point, no less. The center is framed by a coping
border, and while I wish everyone, including me, sewed perfectly, the best
instructions I could give were to measure the pieced center medallion and then
cut the coping border strips wider (or narrower) than the specified width if
necessary. The unit can be trimmed to the correct size after the borders are
added. Problem solved, and on to the next step!
BTW, coping borders do not have to be from just one fabric, and they do not need to be the same width on all four sides. And last but not least, you don’t have to have a coping border, even if it is of different widths, on all four sides. Yes, I know, that last one is a bit paralyzing for those that like to play by the rules.
So go ahead, and cope with whatever comes your way! Until next time, Karen
