Who is Candace Hassen?

Hello, my name is Candace Hassen. I have been fascinated by yarn and fabric since I was 6 years old. As I was growing up, I tried every kind of needlework I could get my hands on. It was natural that I should find a home in textiles at the art department in college. I have a Bachelor’s degree in art from Georgia State University.

For decades, I wove room sized rugs for Lyn Sterling Montagne, who made custom rugs for interior designers. During this time I wove scarves, blankets and tableware on my own time. 25 years ago I took up quilting, and immediately fell in love. I have since realized how much my weaving experience has informed my quilting. Weaving and quilting rely on color interplay and repeated geometric design. Color has always deeply engaging to me. Years of hand dying yarn has given me an extensive foundation in working with color.

Now, I design quilts, and publish patterns from them. I love scrap quilts -the more fabrics and colors the better. I enjoy working with traditional fabrics and blocks, as well as contemporary fabrics. I like to explore design ideas from a variety of sources such as nature, other textiles and art forms.

I am very proud to have been named the Quilter Laureate of Porterdale, Georgia, where I currently live. I can’t believe I am lucky enough to live in a town that wanted to have a Quilter Laureate, much less to get to BE that Quilter Laureate. I love to share my designs by presenting guild programs, teaching, and making custom quilts. I love to travel around the country, meet other quilters, and share my designs and tips with them.