I Want Candy

Now that Sunshine is finished, I'm moving on to the next project -- turning a visual firecracker of a top into a quilt:



I've named this one Candy, because while Quilter on Acid might have been more appropriate, I want to imbue it with a sense of fun. It is a fun quilt, vibrant and sizzling, and such an audacious combination of colors that is virtually never done in a double wedding ring pattern.

The top is not that old, probably dating back to the late sixties/early seventies. The fabrics are mainly cotton, with a couple of oddball wovens and a canvas print that might be upholstery fabric from the Age of Aquarius. I remember my mom having clothes in these patterns when I was a little kid. The maker both hand- and machine-stitched the pieces together. There were a number of popped seams among the patchwork, mild fraying here and there, and outer scalloped sashing that needed correcting as it wouldn't lay flat.

I hand-washed the top, matched it to a sturdy cotton batting, and basted it to a plain muslin backing. Usually I make repairs before I put the piece together for quilting, but I decided to hand quilt this one, so I'd make them as I went along.