Announcing the 2025 Pantone Quilt Challenge!

Who’s ready to be inspired by Mocha Mousse?

Today Elizabeth and I are spilling the beans on plans for this year’s Pantone Quilt Challenge, which kicks off on Monday March 3 and will run for 8 weeks through April 28!

Participation is simple – make something according to the basic rules below, and share it with us! We encourage you to share your progress along the way and connect with other Pantone Quilt Challenge makers by tagging @PantoneQuiltChallenge and using the hashtag #PantoneQuiltChallenge2025. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Mocha Mousse

This year the challenge will feature Mocha Mousse, Pantone’s 2025 Color of the Year. They describe it as a “warming, brown hue imbued with richness” and say that it “nurtures us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort.”

We’ve looked over all of our color cards, and listed some solid fabric equivalents below. Mocha Mousse is a particularly interesting color — you can see how it seems to shift its tone even in the photos below comparing it to solid fabric lines!

None of these are perfect matches, but they’re what we felt was closest to the Mocha Mousse fabric swatch we ordered from Pantone. You don’t have to use solids, but we hope this gives you a helpful reference point for this year’s color.

• Ruby & Bee (Windham) – Field Mouse
• Kona Cotton (Robert Kaufman) – Biscuit, Suede, Taupe
• PURE Solids (Art Gallery) – Mink, Thistle
• Century Solids (Andover) – Cafe Au Lait
• Bella Solids (Moda) – Paper Bag
• Painter’s Palette (PBS Fabrics) – Mocha
• Cotton Supreme Solids (RJR) – Cinnamon

Rules & Categories

This year’s rules are generally the same as in the past. We have tried to keep things as simple as we can; let us know if you have questions or need clarifications!

1. Your project must contain Mocha Mousse. We’re not going to be overly picky about this – just do your best to get in the ballpark. We recommend checking out the solid fabrics listed above; you can use these fabrics in your quilt, or use them as a reference point to pull other fabrics from your stash. Remember that you can use any other fabrics that you like (prints, solids, various substrates, etc) in any quantities – but we’d like to see Mocha Mousse as a feature, and we will ask the judges to take this into account.
2. Your project must fit into one of the following 4 categories. There are 3 judged categories and one non-judged category.
   • Throw & Larger: Any completed quilt with the shortest side at least 30”.
   • Mini/Wall: Any completed quilt with the shortest side under 30”. Quilted pillows, table runners, placemats, etc can also be entered in this category.
   • Just The Top: Any completed quilt top with the shortest side at least 30”.
   • For Exhibit Only: Any Mocha Mousse project that doesn’t quite fit the other categories, was made before this year, or if you want to participate without being judged.
3. You can submit one entry per judged category (i.e. up to 3 entries). Entries for Throw & Larger and Mini/Wall should be finished items.
4. All items in judged categories should be completed in 2025. But we welcome older items in the “For Exhibit Only” category!
5. The challenge will run from March 3 – April 28, 2025, with the linkup open for 1 week from April 21-28. Winners will be announced approximately 1 week later, on/around May 5, 2025.
6. When tagging @PantoneQuiltChallenge, using the #PantoneQuiltChallenge2025 hashtag, and submitting your final project, you agree that your photo(s) may be shared (with credit) by the hosts in blog and social media posts about the challenge.

How to Enter

The link party/gallery will be hosted here at sarahruiz.com. Entries will be open from April 21-28, 2025. Entries will close on April 28 at 11:59 pm US Central time. Late entries will not be accepted.

Each entry should link to a blog post, Instagram post, or other social media post where you share your entry. You should include the project title, quilt dimensions, and country of residence. (As in the past, there will be separate prizes for US vs international quilters due to shipping constraints.)

Sponsors & Prizes

We’ll share a detailed breakdown of all the prizes up for grabs in March, but there are already some fantastic items that have been offered up by our incredible and generous sponsors!

Judges

We’ve got three amazing quilters lined up to judge this year’s challenge. We’ll share more about them in a few weeks!

Schedule

We’ve put together a list of weekly prompts for those who want to play along on social media or your own blogs! We’ll be sharing one post per week to keep you motivated and highlight some challenge posts from participants.

This schedule is just a suggestion! You do not have to follow it or post progress shots to be eligible for prizes at the end. Feel free to work at your own pace!

• March 3 – Inspiration – What’s the inspiration for your project?
• March 10 – Fabric Pull – How are you building your Mocha Mousse palette?
• March 17 – On The Cutting Mat – Are you carefully cutting or doing some improv slicing? We want to see!
• March 24 – Construction Zone – Piecing, applique, EPP, or more? Give us a peek at your work-in-process!
• March 31 – Halfway! – How’s your project coming along? Almost done or need to pick up the pace?
• April 7 – Quilting – What’s your quilting plan for your project?
• April 14 – Details – Show off your favorite parts of your project!
• April 21 – Last Minute Hustle – Get that binding or finishing done, then snap a great photo for your entry!
  • Linkup will be open 4/21-4/28
• April 28 – Challenge Deadline!!
• May 5 – Prize Announcements

Past Challenges

• 2024 – Peach Fuzz – Sarah @bysarahruiz & Elizabeth @elizabethkray
• 2023 – Viva Magenta – Sarah & Elizabeth
• 2019 – Living Coral – Rebecca @bryanhousequilts & Sarah @nohatsquilts
• 2018 – Ultra Violet – Rebecca & Sarah
• 2017 – Greenery – Rebecca & Sarah
• 2015 – Marsala – Anne @playcrafts & Adrianne @adrianneonthewindyside
• 2014 – Radiant Orchid – Anne & Adrianne