Our quilt guild organized a tour of Hoffman Fabrics this past Monday. I jumped at the chance to go, as I’d passed up several other opportunities. I decided that it was summer and it was time for some fun. So I left the sewing chores behind and drove down to Orange County to meet up with the rest of the ladies.
We were ushered into a seating area, where a Hoffman employee gave a sneak peak at some of the lines coming out soon. The one above is a digitally printed fabric, which allows for greater color variation than screen printing, and is done in Pakistan.
I love their screen printing, which is done in Japan.
They printed all their batik basic colors onto fabric, which someone cut up, interspersing with gray to create this quilt (below):
I liked a lot of their Christmasy Momento line.
This hedgehog is from the Forest Friends line. Very cute.
We watched a video on how they make their batiks, which all starts with a design being translated into a chop (above). This is then dipped in wax, applied to the fabric, then overdyed.
Sometimes the fabric is dyed first, then stamped, then they remove the dye, as in the case above.
I went gaga for their new Me + You line of batiks–so modern looking. Here’s another view:
Our group saw a lot of samples; here they are stacked up at the end of the presentation.
Then over to the receiving section, where all these bolts come wrapped in plastic.
One woman said she’d like to sneak out one of these scrap bags, maybe by stuffing it into her bra.
Wherever you look there is beautiful fabric.
I laughed when I saw this: fabric draped over shelves, hiding the mess from the world, like just I’ve done more than once.
Lisa and I were on the tour together. Here we are walking from the loading dock area down to the front of the warehouse.
Such beautiful prints!
The company’s batik lines got their start by a couple of the sons who were surfers, and who wanted to proudly wear their surf fashion. The surfboards decorate their offices now.
We all could have watched this all day long, but it was time to go.
In other summer fun, I finished my block for my Mid-Century Modern bee-mate Susan, of Patchwork’n’Play. She chose the Stepping Stone block. All of the links to the tutorial, plus tips are on our group’s blog, The Mid-Century Modern Bee.
It was waaaaay past time for a new nightgown, as you can see by the vintage pattern above (the last time I made this was 18 years ago!).
Instead of tucks, I like to add braid. This is also a vintage braid from my stash, with embroidered edelweiss flowers — a reminder of Austria, where my husband and I went on our honeymoon many years ago. We’re coming up on twenty-six years of wedded bliss next month.
We had our reception after the honeymoon, at a friend’s home. If we look tired, we are, as we arrived home the day before from Austria and are majorly jet-lagged. I still think he is the most handsome man around. And yes, I did make my wedding dress, although it is not at all like the fashion today–it was made of French laces with entredeaux and ribbons and insertions. I still have it and love to look at it and think of the girl who made it, so many years ago.
And then I had another quilty issue that had stumped me for a while: why didn’t I like rosette #3 of the New Hexagon Millefiore Quiltalong? The above photo is someone else’s beautiful rendition, but somehow it just didn’t “work” for me. I couldn’t figure it out.
I went online and looked at lots and lots of other Rosettes on our Facebook group, and still just didn’t like it. Then I found this photo:
These were made by the woman who makes samples for Katja’s shop in Canada, and look what she did with hers (on the right, above). She simplified those outer blocks. Bingo.
So in the papers for Rosette #2, I found the shapes, and used them and loved what I saw. Here’s the first version, above.
Second version, with darker “middles.” And below, in all its cluttered glory, is the design wall with the full shape. I’m still not too sure about those far right-hand hexagons, but I’m withholding my judgement on those until I see how they fit with the rosette next to it. . . which is still a long way off.
I’ll work on getting these stitched together over the next few weeks. Katja will be releasing Rosette # 8 in about a week. That means that, wow, I’m only five behind!
Our Four-in-Art Challenge Reveal is coming up also in a week, and I’m not at all behind on this one. I also have another tutorial for Circles Block #14 coming up as well. So even though summer is a relaxing time, the quilting calls my name and brings an order to my life and to my days. I feel fortunate to have some “summer” time with cloth and thread and design and stitching–hope you feel the same!
OccasionalPiece--Quilt! 
Thanks for bringing us along on your tour–solving the hex problem–and Happy Anniversary!
What a fun day! You must have been in fabric heaven. Confess. How much did you add to your stash?
That Hoffman tour looked most interesting. Though I’m not a batiks fan, those newer prints almost don’t look like batiks! Susan chose a nice simple block didn’t she? That’s a nice nightgown pattern too. Very sweet. And, you were sure a sweet young thing in that wedding dress. You look positively adorable, and almost Victorian. Just 26 years of bliss, huh? What date in August? Will you celebrate in a special way? I think it’s admirable what you’re doing with the Millefiori Along. Really! Working it all up and then changing it?! I’m feeling glad I didn’t do this one, as everyone seems to be putting much time into them. From all appearances, I can tell you’re not employed outside your home at the moment. You’re a dynamo of sewing and quilting activities, and I couldn’t be happier for you to be enjoying all of it. Keep havin’ fun!
Yeah i had a lot of trouble with those 3 blocks on rosette 3 as well. Mine is in those 9 you have shown, 2nd in on middle row, its missing those blocks in that photo. So I chose not to do them till now ( rosette #7) as I’m also putting all the so far rosettes together. I redesigned the single block but got the other 2 working in with #4. I will add the new updated photo in a few days.
Happy quilting 😊
You could call me in heaven. If I ever got access to enough money I’d never leave the store without a truck load of these fabrics. They really took my breath away.
What a great show that must have been. I’d want to sneak a bag out too.
Happy anniversary to both of you. You dress looks beautiful. I made mine too – as well as my bridesmaids.
I need a new nightgown too. I am thinking of cutting up my favorite one to make a pattern. It is really starting to show it’s age. ;-(. I like the idea of the ribbon instead on yours.
Happy Anniversary! And very jealous of your Hoffman tour – would love to do something like that someday. Appreciate your sharing your thinking process with both quilting and life – I always learn something reading your blog.
What an interesting blog post! That tour looks like fun! So I guess they didn’t give out a sample bag! Surely they wouldn’t have missed any….. Thank you for my sweet block- I love it! I have made a more definite start to my Four-In-Art quilt but it will go down to the wire! I really admire the time you take on those Rosettes! They are really beautiful!
Your hexies are looking great! I like the red spokes that come out from the centre. I guess I’m going to need a bundle of Me&You then, that is right up my street.
Oh, my! So many projects! And here I am, inspired, but away from home and stash and sewing machine… I’m glad to have a few minutes here and there to sew my EPP circle stars!
Your seersucker nightgown, with braid trim, is making me reminiscent of bygone favorites, and happy summer vacations. I’m a pajamas girl now, though. I got tired of wrestling the hem of my nightgown to cover my legs when I’m in bed.
Happy Anniversary! Thanks for the pics of the Hoffman tour – lucky guild ladies! Your wedding photo took me down memory lane – I remember making dresses in that vintage style. This month I’m alternating finishing a quilt top I started in a class – testing my ability to deal with curves and cutting my pieces for the next one with yard and house projects – it would be too easy to gain weight now that I have so much free time. Retirement is great, I have no idea how I ever had time to work!
So much to comment on in this post!
1. The tour looks fabulous. I really love the woven-look quilt and I can hardly wait for the Me+You line.
2. Thanks for going ahead of me on Rosette 3. Fabric choice looks tricky–and I really like the darker fabrics you chose.
3. You and Dave look so young–and happy! I wore my mother’s wedding dress–all handmade by my grandmother. It was simply but a work of art–with a teensy rolled hem and the tiny covered buttons all down the back with little loops–the real thing, not just buttons sewn over a zipper placket.
4. Hope your nightgowns are completed. The ribbon trim is such a special touch.
I do not know the makers of the above Rosette examples, but I absolutely LOVE the second one from the left in the middle row. OM Stars it is so beautiful. Not colors I would normally choose, but this is similar to one of the examples of EPP which peeked my interest originally. Wish I had done that(!) plus another two or three. Your own work is so well planned. Thank you so much for sharing.
BTW, your choice of colors for this rosette will work quite wonderfully with mine should you tire of it! 🙂
Happy Anniversary, Elizabeth. The tour looked fabulous – I’ll try to go to the next one. Like your redone rosette best. Thanks for sharing!