Rotary Hoffman Challenge

Friday was a fun day with a very early morning road trip up to Deloraine, essentially a 4 hour trip from Hobart by the time one stops for rest breaks and tea with friends!
The Tasmanian Craft Fair is the largest craft fair in the Southern Hemisphere with all sorts of crafts and art on display.  Included in the main Rotary Pavilion area were the quilts from the Rotary Hoffman Challenge from Australia and also the 2011 entries from the New Zealand equivalent.  Some great pieces on display.
I was pleased to still be in the state to attend not only to see the quilts, but to be there for the presentation of awards, as my quilt Meadow Argus that I blogged about earlier,. was awarded overall Second prize in the Rotary Hoffman Challenge, and it also won its category Mixed Technique (Anything Goes!).It was quite a dimly lit area so the photo isn't wonderful unfortunately.
It was generously sponsored by Bernina Australia, Sew Knit in Launceston,  Mathilda's own and Rotary who run the Tasmanian Craft Fair.  I thank each of the sponsors for their contribution to making the exhibition possible and making available cash prizes as well as the machine.
Here is the Curator Diane Brittlebank and the representative of Rotary at the presentation...
and below, Robyn Miller from Sew Knit in Launceston presenting the booty- certificate and a Bernina 330 sewing machine valued at RRP $1499.

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I am blessed that my work is recognised with awards and enjoyed by so many people. You can see a bunch crowded in front of a small work on the wall in the right of the photo studying Meadow Argus.  Next to it is the overall winner Diana Eaton's Drift Nets.  Out of respect to all quilters I am not posting close up images, whilst there was unusually photography allowed, I always have felt its good to have people's permission before splashing them around on the internet their work.
Other friends from Hobart, Kate Berry and Helen Ducker won Highly commended with their entries.  Its is lovely to see friends do well with their work and in this instance all the winners in the adult section were from Hobart.
What was great fun was seeing the responses to the fabric that we had to work with for the challenge. It was small scale multi coloured, blotchy fabric.  This year's print is a Hoffman Bali in apricot/ orange with hints of lime green.  Once I get settled I may well participate again and I would encourage everyone to have a go- its great fun working with challenge fabrics!


I have decided to give the prize of the 330 to my Mother who currently sews on a classic Bernina 1010 mechanical and who has lusted for auto buttonhole and improved lighting for quite some time. It was her birthday very recently and so the machine will be her combined birthday and Christmas present.  She is VERY excited!

Meadow Argus has been busy making a guest  appearance on the cover of the Tasmanian Quilting Guild's Newsletter with some  info on its making inside for TQG members to access.

 And I was tickled to see it again in the Program Guide for the TAS Craft Fair .

There was fantastically beautiful displays of fine furniture, jewellery, a great glass blowing demonstration (that looks challenging and fun, something to do later perhaps!), metal working, photography and all sorts of needle crafts, natural body products etc.  Multiple venues connected with a great shuttle bus service between them. Well worth the trip to Deloraine to see.

Today we are taking our fur babies up to their cattery again in the northern area of Tasmania for their little holiday whilst we pack and move states.  Here is Bella who loves curling up in  enviro bags if she gets the chance.  She has always enjoyed snuggling into small round spaces!  If you wonder why there are few photos of Chaucer, he is a little camera shy and good at hiding.  I wonder what they will make of their temporary home?  I know the breeder will spoil them rotten.

So I wish you all a restful Sunday and a great week to come!
Happy Quilting, Stephanie.