2012 Hoffman Challenge Entry Award Winner!!

I entered the 2012 Hoffman Challenge for the third year and I received an e-mail yesterday from the curator letting me know my quilt called "1940s USO" was awarded the Best Incorporation of the Challenge Fabric for the Mixed Quilt Category. Oh Happy Day!! I made this last November and could not post it until now! This was such a fun project. I saw the large  purple floral (challenge fabric) as 1940s curtain fabric and I am obsessed with 40s/vintage hairstyles and that's how it began. I used my "Black Bob" pattern and after researching 40s style make-up and eyebrow shapes I changed the eye shape, brows and hair to fit the decade. I was a paper doll junkie as a child and my daughter (who is also obsessed with the 40s) gave me a big girl paper doll book of 1940s fashions which inspired the hat and jacket with the big shoulders. I made vintage earrings with beads, trapuntoed a fussy cut flower on the hat and ruched some variegated ribbon through it, added flower shaped sequins and beads in the hat, added a bit of purple with pink tulle to the hat like a fascinator and a few rhinestones aroulnd the borders. I added a mini flange near the binding which I had never done before. Most of the other fabrics are from Pine Street Quilts in Marintte WI where I work on Tuesdays. I prequilted the Convergence background before I fused the applique on and then quilted the applique over the other quilting. My daughter named the quilt when I saw her at Thanksgiving and I stared at it in my studio until I mailed it in June. I am happy it will travel for the next year and lots of people get to see it. Soon the 2013 fabric will be exposed and I can try the challenge all over again!!

New Quilt: Step A and B



This a sneak peak of my new quilt. I found this great chartruse, purple and red large print called June Bugs by Timeless Treasures while visiting Winter Haven FL and knew I had to have it. I love the website Pinterest and found inspiration from some of the photos plus I am obsessed with 1940s hair especially victory rolls so combined all these things and I have a new idea for a quilt!! The top photo is the drawing for the quilt and the second photo is the same area with the applique pieces cut and fused to the background. So the woman has green skin, purple hair, a floral 40s style dress, a red background and I used the funky big print for the border. The woman ended up looking like Bette Midler or Lisa Maire Presley!! I am almost ready to start the quilting process and will show finished photos when it is done. It already has a name-"Victory Rolls"

I have completed my entry for the 2012 Hoffman Challenge, an entry for the Studio Arts Quilters Association's "I'm Not Crazy!" Exhibit, Quilting Arts Magazine "What's Your Signature Color?" Challenge but I can't show any images yet due to the fact I don't want anyone to copy my designs so I must wait for the deadlines of April, May and July.

I've been busy and today is internet/computer day so that's why I have posted three different posts on one day!! Take care and be creative!