Hoffman Fabrics « The Backroads to Road to California

Posts Tagged ‘Hoffman Fabrics’

Quilting Tips From Road 2018 Teachers

Tuesday, August 7th, 2018

Great takeaways and quilting tips from some of Road 2018’s popular Classes and $5.00 Lecture Series

Jenny Doan– Missouri Star

Quilting Tips: Take classes to learn new techniques. Use the ugliest fabric in your stash to practice what you are learning because you will make mistakes. Mistakes are essential to learning.

Michelle Flores-Hoffman Fabrics

Quilting Tips: Online retailers that carry a wide variety of Hoffman Fabrics: eQuilter, Batik Plus, Hancock of Paducah, and Nancy’s Notions.

Hobbs Batting-

Quilting Tips: How to avoid Bearding (batting that pulls up through holes in the fabric): Use a high thread count fabric; Check thread tension to make sure thread isn’t too tight; Use a new needle; and Make sure the batting is good quality.

Pat Simon-Quilting with Templates

Quilting Tips: Rulers are for measuring; Templates are for quilting. Do not use free motion, darning or other thin feet as they will slip under the template. Instead use high shank feet. Practice, Practice, Practice with a fabric sandwich and moving the fabric around while seated. Start out with smaller templates to get control.

Joyce Teng-Painting on Fabric

Quilting Tips: Kona Cotton and Tsukineko Ink are the perfect combination for the best results. Play around with the ink. Mix it with different mediums to create different effects. Use different tools to get the ink on the fabric. Experiment with different patterns.

Annie Unrein-Zippers

Quilting Tips: Always use zippers 2-3 inches longer than called for. Shorter than that is so much harder to work with. Use “Wonder Clips” to hold all the layers together. Flat on the bottom so they don’t catch on machine; They won’t poke you; They won’t make holes in vinyl; and They hold everything tight.

Jamie Wallen– Long Arm Quilting

Quilting Tips: Don’t wait until you’re ready to quilt to start learning quilting techniques. Print “contour line quilt blocks” from the Internet and come up with 3 different ways to quilt it yourself. Practice every day 30-45 minutes with a pencil to build muscle memory. Anything a pencil can do, a longarm can do. What is your favorite quilting tip you learned in a quilting class?]]>

Tags: Annie Unrein, Hobbs, Hoffman Fabrics, Jamie Wallen, Jenny Doan, Joyce Teng, Missouri Star Quilt Co., Quilt Show, Quilting Templates, Quilting Tips
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Celebrating Hoffman Fabrics: 94 Years And Going Strong

Friday, May 4th, 2018

How much do you know about this iconic fabric brand?

Michelle Flores of Hoffman Fabrics shared the following 10 Facts and Figures of the “Hoffman Look” in a $5.00 lecture at Road to California 2018:

1) A family owned and operated business, currently four generations of the Hoffman family run the day to day operations with headquarters in Mission Viejo, California

2) Imaginative fabrics originate with a team of in-house textile artists. Many designs are developed from hand-drawn and hand-painted art. Premium screen-printed and hand-dyed fabrics are manufactured for independent retailers

3) Hoffman searches the world for their premium, high thread count, 100% cotton fabric base.

4) Bali Batiks are a Hoffman exclusive. They have been running their own independent operation in Bali for 35 years. Original, hand drawn designs are put in the computer where designers play with size and repeat. Once perfected, the design is sent to the factory in Bali and re-created on copper stamps which are dipped in wax and applied to the base fabric. Wax does not absorb dye, so designs are left intact. When the dying process is completed, the wax is washed off.5) The minimum order for each Batik design and color is 1,000 yards. Because it takes 6-8 months to develop a Batik fabric, it is recommended that if you love a particular design, buy it when you see it as Hoffman does not duplicate the same design and colors.

6) Interested in their famous Christmas Batiks? These fabrics are delivered to stores in June and July.

7) Me + You is Hoffman’s modern Batik line. They are mostly solid fabrics with minimal design patterns like these prints created by Latifah Saarfir exclusively for Hoffman Fabrics:8) Can’t find Batiks in your area? Hoffman recommends you first go to your local fabric shop and request what you want. If you still can’t purchase locally, these online retailers carry Hoffman’s line: e-Quilter.com, Batiks Plus, Hancock’s of Paducah, and Nancy’s Notions.

9) For the past 5 years, Digital Prints have become Hoffman’s latest fabric trend. Because a screen-printed fabric can only hold 17-18 colors, the magic of digital printing allows designers to achieve a more realistic effect using more colors. Custom orders for digital prints are honored with a minimum of 500 yards.10) Digital Prints are also made in to panels which can be used for binding and backing or can be cut-up for piecing. Some of their popular panels include the Crazy Panel—all Hoffman fabric challenge prints for the past 30 years. Not sure how to use a digital print panel? Hoffman has free patterns on their website for ideas.

Hoffman Fabrics has lots to celebrate in 2018: Fabulous fabrics, a rich heritage,

and their 30^th Anniversary of the Hoffman Challenge.

Thanks Hoffman Fabrics for allowing Road to California 2018 be the exclusive stop in sharing your successes. ]]>

Tags: Batiks Plus, e-Quilter, Hancock's of Paducah, Hoffman Batiks, Hoffman Challenge, Hoffman Digital Panels, Hoffman Fabrics, Hoffman's Digital Prints, Latifah Saafir, Me + You, Nancy's Notions
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Hoffman Fabrics And Another First For Road To California

Wednesday, December 13th, 2017

Why was Road to California chosen as the location to show this special exhibit? Hoffman knew from their early planning stages that they wanted to expand the Quilt Market presentation to Road to California. Hoffman considers Road to California to be the most important consumer show for them for three reasons: 1) Because many Hoffman retailers participate at the show; 2) They often hold office/warehouse tours during the show; and 3) They have a longtime “family business” relationship with the Reese family. The special exhibit will show Hoffman’s development from its start as Hoffman Woolens in 1924 to becoming a textile converter, introducing various fabrications to the quilting market (the originator of batiks for quilting, for instance, but also as a leader now in cutting-edge digital prints), to their impact on the surf apparel industry, and everything in-between. We’re told that there will even be an actual surfboard in the exhibit!!! Part of the exhibit will include the Hoffman Challenge, which they have partnered with Road to California as a sponsor over many, many years. Other quilts that will be in the display were generated by Hoffman’s own “quilt fairies” – very talented industry designers/quilters with whom they’ve worked closely with over many years. Hoffman depended on them to design and make outstanding quilts. Some of the quilts have patterns sold by the designers, but many others have become patterns that Hoffman now offers as free downloads from its website. They plan to show quilts that feature their different fabrications and most well-known designs. What will happen to the exhibit after Road to California 2018? Well, Hoffman isn’t quite sure. They say if the exhibit is well received at Road, perhaps they will show it at another major quilt show or at a quilt, textile, or other type of museum or library – even a major university. They are also thinking about recreating at least a part of it Hoffman’s headquarters in Mission Viejo, California since they offer tours to quilt/sewing guilds as their production/distribution schedule allows throughout the year. Given that Hoffman is close to hitting the century mark, they feel confident that all types of artists, makers, collectors, etc., would be very interested in learning about the history of textiles and of Hoffman Fabrics. Be sure to stop by Booth 400 and be a part of this historic special exhibit. ]]>

Tags: Hoffman Anniversary, Hoffman Challenge, Hoffman Fabrics, Hoffman Woolens
Posted in Road to California 2018, Special Quilt Exhibits | No Comments »