Maine Musings and Attic Heirlooms

We are back!

Last week we had to take a little break to work on some of our upcoming deadlines, so our needles were a-flying. Now that we have had a little time to catch up and breath, I (Kara) thought I would share a little bit from my most recent travel adventure.

Normally, our travels take us somewhere in Europe, but this time we headed back across the pond to Maine—one of our favorite places in the world. Our niece was getting married in Boothbay Harbor, and while that was the primary reason for our travel, the picture above was certainly another motivating factor! Of course, we couldn't eat lobster the whole time we were there (although we may have tried); scoping out antique and quilt stores was another activity that occupied our time. I have been to quite a few antique malls, but the Wiscasset Antiques Mall has been hands down the best! It was so clean and nicely laid out, and every booth was like a little vignette. Here are some of the treasures I came across.

A funky chicken!

A sweet little stool cover

I am a sucker for crazy quilts.

This one was a testament to a thorough use of scraps.

Lots of colorful stitching!

Another good use of scraps—this time in wool!

A creative yo yo quilt

I had to resist bringing this lovely rail fence quilt home.

If my suitcase had been bigger, many things in this booth would have come home with me!

This tulip pot quilt was unique.

A beautiful southern belle

Such pretty stitching!

I loved this colorful sampler from 1883.

I fell in love with these two geisha embroideries from the 1970s. They were so well stitched and colorful that I considered buying them. I walked out of the store without them but couldn't stop thinking about how pretty they were. My wonderful husband kindly stopped back on our way to the airport so I could take them home. When things calm down again, I hope to incorporate them into a wall hanging using some different silks to coordinate with the colors.

Any trip to a new place requires a Google search, "quilt shops near me". Attic Heirlooms in Damariscotta was one that popped up. It wasn't just a quilt shop, but a wool shop as well! Of course, it became the main reason for visiting this cute Maine harbor town. I walked in and was warmly greeted by the owner, Trish Harriman.

The lovely Trish!

Attic Heirlooms has items for quilters, wool appliquérs, knitters, cross stitchers, rug hookers, and needle punchers—there is something for everyone! 

Look at all that beautiful wool!!!

There is a wonderful selection of patterns from many different designers, so there is a wide variety to choose from, depending on your taste. Trish herself is a talented designer, creating a fun Ornament of the Month program in addition to her other designs. If you happen to be in Damariscotta, Maine, Attic Heirlooms is a MUST stop, but if you can't get there in person, you can order directly from their website HERE. 

I love Maine and look forward to getting back up there, not just for the lobster rolls, but now for a little wool shopping and antiquing as well. My one regret from this trip was not being able to get together with Wendy Reed of the Constant Quilter. Alas, family commitments didn't leave me as much time as I had hoped. That just gives me more reason to head back up there!