Last week I flew to Boston to visit my niece. We followed the Freedom Trail and ate Italian in the North End. I soaked up the experience of being surrounded by so much academia (MIT and Harvard were within walking distance of my bed & breakfast). I also visited the main Boston Public Library. I reveled in the magnificent architecture and experienced a sense of awe as I ascended the main staircase between the lions. However, I knew in a flash that I much prefer the warmth and noisiness of my own school library.
One of my side trips was a day trip to the Lakes region of New Hampshire, which also happens to be the home of Keepsake Quilting – you know THE quilting catalog just about every quilter receives in their mailbox 2-3 times a year. Here’s proof there really is a retail store to go along with the catalog. The shop is a treat to visit with all of the quilts on display and vignettes set up around the store. I engaged in a little retail therapy and was most happy to find the remaining batik fabrics to make the bird applique quilt for my mom.
I’m glad I listened to that little voice that told me to pack a small embroidery kit in my suitcase. My return journey home took 18 hours instead of the anticipated 4-1/2 hours due to mechanical breakdowns, cancellations, rerouting, bad weather and a ground stop at the Atlanta airport. The retro embroidery book I found atgather here & make something in Cambridge came in handy, as did the floss I purchased at a cute stitchery shop in downtown Boston. I traced designs onto the muslin squares in my kit and stitched away. I now have a collection of redwork squares waiting to be made into small projects.
