Every year Hoffman Fabrics organizes a challenge with a theme fabric. Contestants make small quilts or dolls using the fabric in any way they like as long as it is recognizable. It’s always fun to see the creativity and the different ways people are inspired by the theme fabric. The fabric is shown on the edge of the sign. Here’s the doll collection too.

I love the variety of interpretations as shown by the examples below. The Hoffman Challenge exhibit travels extensively and you can make arrangements with Hoffman to display their quilts at your local quilt show.

Willow II by Gayle Shelton, TX is a beautiful tree nicely set with loops around the outer edge of the quilt. Hexifun by Shirlee Carter, FL is a mini One-block Wonder – such pretty hexagons created from the theme fabric and the attractive addition of ribbon around the edges.

Paradise Cove by Benita Goodheart, OR, was awarded Best First Time Entry Applique. It reminds of a Vincent van Gogh impressionistic painting. The King and I by Anna Macaluso, NJ won First Place Mixed. The king’s face was beautifully shaded and quilted creating great perspective. It was stunning.

The Roswells from the Planet Quiltron by Alice Zimmerman, NY, made me laugh. It was such a different take on the fabric and pure fun. Ribbon Candy by Cyndi McChesney, CO was beautifully executed. Cyndi’s color gradations in the Twisted Log Cabin blocks give the quilt depth and a wonderful three dimensional quality.

The IQA judged show was a feast for the eyes with so many wonderful quilts. The award winners were not announced until after Market, but all the quilts were on display. It’s hard to select my highlights, but here are a variety that particularly appealed to me.

These two quilts are both original designs, hand appliqued and hand quilted and the workmanship is outstanding. On the left is Crest of Tulip, by Takido Fusako, Japan. Takido writes, “A spring flower, the tulip blooms proudly towards the sky. We can get energy from it as it flutters in the wind. I made the tulip like a crest in the oval using trapunto.” Linda Roy, TN made Primitive Web. I’ve enjoyed seeing Linda’s beautiful award-winning work over the years since were were both beginning quilters when we lived in Arkansas and were taught to applique by Irma Gail Hatcher. The design for this quilt was inspired by an antique all-hexagon quilt. The feathers are embroidered and the stuffed Yo-yos in the flowers add dimension.

These two hexagon quilts are both hand pieced using the English paper-piecing method and are both machine quilted. They are awesome. Roo Garden was made by Vicki Bohnhoft, AZ. Vicki writes, “Returning to Australia in 2009, I began collecting Australian Aboriginal fabrics. On our cruise, I became addicted to 3/4″ hexagons, eventually making over 5,000. This contemporary Grandmother’s Flower Garden was designed in five weeks using 4,125 pieces depicting a running kangaroo, rays of dawn and flowers everywhere.” Together in a Friendship World was made by Geta Grama and Quilt.Ro Group, Rasnov, Brasnov, Romania. I was blown away when I saw this hexagon globe and returned to the quilt several times to look in more detail. I think the 3-d effect is amazing.

I love star quilts and the Feathered Star is a favorite. This gorgeous quilt, Celebration of Feathered Stars & Wildflowers, was a collaboration by 22 members of the Veriens Quilt Guild, Frederickson, TX and is their 2014 raffle quilt. Helen Rode, Jan Graetzel, Joanie Wyall and Colleen Zabrenick masterminded and coordinated the project and the design was inspired by an antique quilt.

Here’s another absolutely gorgeous Feathered Star with Prairie Points in all the feathers and embellished with thousands of Swarovski pearls. A Truly Feathered Star was made by Karen Sivert, NC. Karen writes, ” I believe quilt making is a journey, one that teaches us much. Sometimes we take detours, hit bumps in the road, even construction zones! The trapunto beading and Prairie Points all lend dimension to the quilt, but to achieve them, I had to learn new ways to get to my destination.”

The picture doesn’t do Jack by Sandy Curran, VA, justice. Sandy concentrates her work on the emotion and expression in eyes, both human and animal. Jack Nicholson has such expressive eyes and this quilt was extraordinary in the likeness and the 3-d effect. I just loved these two parrots, Ricky and Lucy, by Nancy Sterrett Martin and Karen Sistek, KY. They are painted on silk and brought to life with the quilting stitches. The design is based on a various photos of macaws and parrots.

Here are some examples from the wonderfully whimsical MOO-Ston exhibit, curated by Melanie McFarland and Mary Lou Weidman. From a pattern in the book Out of the Box with Easy Blocks by Mary Lou Weidman and Melanie McFarland, friends and students have customized the “Purple Cow” into various bovine-inspired themes.

“Cow Town” by Mary Lou Weidman (WA) and quilted by Kathleen Woods is the first in a series made using the Purple Cow pattern. Mary Lou writes, “The body of this cow is made up of small houses with names over the doorways. I’ve named them after loving family members. It’s all about the fun – the udders are hot dogs!” Indeed – what fun! “MOOdern” is another by Mary Lou, and quilted by Kathleen. She used a cheater fabric from Robert Kaufman with the colors and shapes already there to make this cow in the “modern” style.

“MOO-ey COWliente” by Tina Nappl (CA) is made from a variety of chili fabrics. Even the lettering has chilies on it and the body of the cow has chilies of many colors. Check out the end of the tail too! ” BOO-MOO” by Molly Evangelisti (CA) and quilted by Kathleen Woods has a Halloween theme, Molly’s favorite holiday. This cow is dressed and ready to party! I love her curly green spider shoes and pumpkin udders.

Here is “Moody Blues” by Laurie Latta (WA), quilted by Karen Brown. Laurie was inspired after attending a retreat with this exhibit’s curators, Mary Lou and Mel. She chose the theme based on her overabundance of blue fabric. She loves that her cow is part of the herd that has been traveling round the country. “She Eats the Meadow Flowers” by Rebecka Schafer (NE) and quilted by Rick O’Neal was inspired by a children’s poem by Robert Louis Stevenson about a cow that is loved and that likes to eat the meadow flowers. Great use of a variety of black and white prints in this cow and the eyes are wonderful.

“Dia de los MOOertos” by Patricia Wood (TX) and quilted by Gaye McNett celebrates Patricia’s daughter’s love of Dia de la Muertos. This skelletal cow is embellished with a variety of beads and the yellow flower is made from and old T-shirt. The udders are skull buttons and the cow is eating flowers from a pile of skulls. I really liked the strong graphics of this cow and the colorful borders with skewed Monkey Wrench blocks and wonky Flying Geese.

This was an exhibit which made people laugh and smile. The cows each had their own characters and many were heavily embellished with all kinds of amusing details in a variety of materials. Perhaps this herd will travel in your direction. If so, be sure to visit them.