Road Trip to Plymouth and Littleton, NH

We apologize in advance for the long post, but just couldn't help it!  Enjoy!

Friday was a pleasant sunny day at Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, but sometimes even on nice days you just need to take a road trip!

Elizabeth and her mother, Barbara headed out to go north in this lovely state.  New England has a number of nice soup-and-sandwich style restaurants along the by-ways.  Our first stop was at Six Burner Bistro in Plymouth, New Hampshire where we had watermelon gazpacho, a beautiful salad with feta, and a curry chicken wrap while sitting on the front porch of a restored vintage 1900 home.  Everything was delicious.  If you happen by Plymouth NH be sure to stop for a meal at Six Burner Bistro, 13 Main Street. 

Not far away, also in Plymouth is North Country Quilters and Sew ‘n Vac, a bright and pleasant shop that also sells Pfaff sewing machines.

We bought one there last year to leave at the cabin; it is a mechanical machine since computerized ones do not winter well in freezing conditions.  They are participating in the Row by Row challenge and once again have a gorgeous row, this year featuring a local river, “Summer at the Baker River”.

The quilt shop is at the base of a mountain with numerous huge wind turbines along the ridge, so close that it is hard to get a picture with both the shop and the turbines.  However, less than a mile down the road is a Wal-Mart and you can see the turbines on the mountains behind the store, although you may need to click on the photo for a larger view to see them.

For some reason the idea of Wal-Mart in front of a row of high tech energy machines in the middle of rural New Hampshire makes Elizabeth shake her head in wonder.  We were told that the turbines are a source of contention locally since they do not provide any employment and the energy they are creating is going to a more populated area of Connecticut instead of cutting local utility bills.  Basically the locals think of them as an eye-sore.

 

About 30 miles north along I-93 is Franconia Notch through the White Mountain National Forest.  Until 2003 this notch was known for the iconic landmark “Old Man of the Mountain”.  Early one morning in May the rocks started to tumble down the mountain and the famous profile was erased from sight, only to be a memory.

Another 10 miles from the overlook takes you to the town of Littleton, NH.  Littleton is full of northern New England charm.  Once a mill town on the Ammonoosuc River, a tributary of the Connecticut River, it is now a vibrant art/shopping/restaurant town with a tremendous amount of character.  Huge, yes huge, flower planters hang from poles all along Main Street.  The river frontage has a covered bridge, a harmony park, and banner proclaiming Littleton as the Glad Town.  All around town are pianos sitting on the sidewalks that anyone passing by can sit at and play.  Even the crosswalks herald a happy message.  The “glad” town banners are a nod to the children’s classic Pollyanna and its author Eleanor H Porter who was from this fine town.

Best of all in Littleton is One Stitch, Two Stitch, a nice quilt store accessible both from Main Street and the River Walk.  This store has a contemporary feel with fresh fabrics, many of which would make good focus fabrics for projects galore.  Lots of notions, books and a friendly welcoming staff round out the store. 

One Stitch, Two Stitch is also participating in the Row by Row Experience this year with a very customizable row.   

The kit came with two gorgeous batik fabrics and precut, pre-fused trout.  What could be easier?  The store display has a variety of options for making a row, each one made by a different staff member. 

In fact, they encourage you to be creative with your row, something PGFiber2Art loves very much.

The evening we were there, One Stitch, Two Stitch was participating in a local event called 2^nd Friday Art Night.  The 2^nd Friday night during summer months, local stores and galleries host a number of musicians and artists to highlight their stores and the artwork.  The quilt store had a presentation by Diane Powers Harris on Monroe, NH.  She had several pieces of pictorial quilts on display and was happy to tell about them.  Her moose piece is especially stunning.  She told us that she started with a photograph of a moose by a local photographer and used both small pieces of fabric and thread painting to recreate the look.  The photographer is so enthralled by it, that he has purchased it for himself. 

A member of the NH/VT/ME SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) chapter, Diane also had an exhibit of small works done by members which represent a melding of two places the person held dear.  It is titled “A piece of me”.  Each one, measuring only about a foot square was a beautiful work of art.  The close-up photo of the bear was also a piece of Diane's work.

Click on any of the photos for a larger, close-up view.