Click here or here for awesome detail pictures that show the quilting.

It's been a couple of years since I've bothered to enter the Hoffman Challenge. I did it for a few years, always got accepted. Then I entered about four years ago, and they didn't want me. The next few years, I didn't have time, and I hated the fabrics. This year, I didn't have time, but loved the fabric. (see addendum below)

This is another one of my Mariner's Compass in a Lone Star quilts. I love both patterns, and they seem meant for each other. Someone asked how I made it all fit together, so here it is in case anyone else wants to know: I make the compass first. Then I draw the compass circle on huge graph paper, and fiddle around until I get the points drawn. Then I just fudge until I figure out the right size to make them. Goofball that I am, I piece the lone star pieces by hand. Then I applique the inside round of diamonds on to the background of the compass. Sort of. Okay, well, right now I *forget* how I do it. I fudge a lot. And curse, too.

The two skinny borders were sewn down my machine on one edge, then "appliqued" down on the other edge. And stuff was cutout from behind, because I really didn't have a clue where I was going with this quilt, so there was lots of extra black fabric all around. The borders look pretty good, but they were a real pain. Very tedious.

I love quilting with colored thread; hopefully your monitor will show some of the quilting detail on these (down at the bottom of this page). I mostly did more compass and diamond patterns.

Don't know yet if it's been accepted. Don't know how much I care anymore, since I like the quilt my own self.

Addendum October 18, 2002: They didn't want it. I'm afraid that this go-around has left a rather bad taste in my mouth with regards to the Hoffman Challenge. They've had my quilt for over two months now. The only reason I know they ever got it was I had the FedEx tracking to prove it. The only reason I know they didn't accept it was because they've posted all the winners on their web site, and mine's not listed. I wrote an e-mail to inquire after it (fearing that perhaps they'd sent it back several weeks ago and it had gotten lost), and after several days was told that it's packed up and will be on its way home soon. I understand that curating a show is a lot of work, but it seems to me that communicating with the artists is part of the job. Anyway, I want it back. NOW. I love this quilt, and plan to hang it in my upstairs hallway (near Daddy's Quilt).