My New Favorite Quilt Shop...

...is only 2400+ miles away from home (if you drive it, or just over 2000 miles the way the airplane flies)!!

While visiting DD#1 in New Hampshire this past week, we ventured into Maine to visit a couple of her favorite places (Two Lights State Park, and Portland Head Lighthouse), and to find a new favorite place--Cyndi's Busy Thimble quilt shop.

 Not your typical quilt shop, The Busy Thimble is off the beaten path in Litchfield, Maine, next to Cyndi's home. From the outside it appears to be a quaint little cottage, complete with the cottage garden.

Prepare yourself before entering, if you are a lover of 1800s repro fabric and mini quilts. This is my idea of quilting heaven. I think the term "system overload" describes the experience my daughter and I had here.

Look at those wonderful little quilts hanging behind us!

Cyndi is a delightful hostess, and if you can't be there during her usual Wed-Sat hours, she will try to accommodate you, if you contact her for an appointment. She opened up for us on a Monday morning.

 I have never seen so much repro fabric in one place before! As my friend, Grace, says she tells Cyndi whenever she visits--I'll take a yard of each!

 Every inch of space is filled with temptation. My daughter and I wandered through the aisles over and over again trying to focus and narrow down our choices. I am glad I had made a mental note of color holes in my stash so that I was able to finally settle down and make selections.

Look at the clever way Cyndi is displaying her Stars In A Time Warp blocks.

I didn't even get photos of the fabric on one whole side of the store, but I did get photos of the quilts on display--wall hangings and minis. I was in my element! Click on any photo to enlarge it.

This was not a small quilt, but look at those little blocks! I had my daughter stand by it to give perspective to their size.

The trip to Cyndi's was definitely worth it, and if repros are your thing, you may want to find a reason to find yourself in Maine!

















Maybe these reasons would help. Beautifully rugged coastline greeted us at every turn. It was breathtaking. Coming from a landlocked place, I am awed by the vastness of the ocean.

 Other than this Grand Day Out (for you Wallace and Grommit fans) in Maine, we spent most of the 8 days I was in NH chilling at home, playing with that terribly cute grandbaby (whose photos I cannot post), and trying our hand at some gluten free baking (the zucchini muffins were my personal favorite).

Oh, we did stop here for a few minutes after a run to the local library and bookstore. We just shopped the sale room and the 25 cent scrap bin.

I had to choose my fabric purchases carefully, because I only brought 2 carry on sized bags and they were already pretty full. With the two shops visited, this is what came home to enhance my stash.

The top "fan of fabric" was my haul from Cyndi's. I could have done so much more damage, but I focused on the purples, blacks, cheddars and greens--those reds and blues somehow slipped in on their own.
I bought 2 one yard cuts at Keepsake and found lots of batiks in their scrap bin, along with a couple of Kim Diehl neutrals, a great vintage patriotic print, and some checks and dots for the novelty pile.

Another thing I love in New England, besides the fabric stores, is all the covered bridges. On the way home from church Sunday we stopped at a couple for photo ops.

Had never seen a covered bridge until my first visit to New England 7 or 8 years ago, and then I just saw them from a distance. I had never been on a covered bridge until our first visit to DD#1 after their move here a few years ago.

When did this post become the travelogue that never ends?
I will close with a quilty tip. Before leaving for NH I was doing some "catch up" on my Attic Heirloom Ornament of the Month blocks, and was frustrated that when I tried to retrieve a ball of floss from the bowl by my stitching chair, I would often end up knocking another ball or two onto the floor as I dug for the right one.

At the local Ross store I saw these narrow wooden bowls or trays  for under $3. They hold about 8 balls of floss beautifully. No digging to find the needed color. I am all about finding pretty things for functional purposes. My sewing room is full of wood, wicker and wire containers. I try to keep the plastic hidden under tables and in closets. So this little tray is a much better option to me than the plastic drawer dividers that are currently in the closet. I like my containers to be aesthetically pleasing, if at all possible. Just another of my quirks that I have learned to live with. (Sorry, Mom, I know I ended that sentence with a preposition.)

Wow, did you really stay with me all the way to the end? If so, tell me how far you would have to go to get to the favorite quilt shop you have ever visited. My favorite used to be 2 hours away, but that one now comes in a distant second. : )

Until next time,
Janet O.