Bigger than most husband’s would appreciate…
Friday, April 20, 2001 — Mission Viejo, CA, 12 Binky Patrol volunteers met at Hoffman California Fabrics. North Long Beach, Santa Ana, South County chapters were represented as well as brand new people who wanted to get involved!
We were met by Vicki who educated us on high quality fabric; the difference between pigmentation and dye and the different grades of fabric used for different types of products. Hoffman’s fabrics are used for quilting, sewing, home furnishings and they are the exclusive manufacturers of fabric for such clothing labels as Quicksilver, Billabong, Volcom, Gary’s and more.
We even had a sneak peak at the new line of fabrics for Fall 2001. We weren’t allowed to take photos in this area. It will be an exiciting and creative Fall for Hoffman.
On the tour we were shown the fabrics from Bali and how different families pass down specific and very guarded traditions of dyeing fabrics.
The art department for the clothing manufacturers was also off limits to cameras, but we saw their extensive research library that they use for accuracy in animals, eras, history and color. This department relied a lot on National Geographic, current fashion magazines like Maxim, One, GQ and others. The art deapartment for the home furnishings and quilting fabrics had an extensive library also. Theirs was focused mainly on botanicals, birds, quilt books and more. It was facinating. Everyone was so generous with their time to answer our questions and stop what they were working on to greet us.
As we were getting ready to leave and head to either lunch of Material Possessions Quilt Shop we were each given a bundle of fabric samples. This wasn’t the end of the gifts…
I knew they had fabric stashed for Binky Patrol, but didn’t know just how much. Thank goodness Valerie Sims of the Santa Ana Chapter, Laura McCoy, Miriam Siegel and Lisa Nagurski from the Home Group had empty vehicles. 
They loaded Valerie’s van with 600 pounds of fabric! Laura had about the same and Miriam had around 400. Lisa has a small car and only took 150 pounds. We are set for the year including the Bink-A-Thon. If chapters need fabric. Let us know.
Thank you to: Laura McCoy, Miriam Siegel, Lisa Nagurski, Valerie Sims, Deb Tomney; Randy Miller, Linda Ross, Janyce Mathis, Diane Meyer, Jan Scherer