Quilt Trip

As we've said before, the domesticity gene seems to have missed The Maven. Her idea of cleaning for guests? Throw it all in the closet. Do dishes? Let 'em soak. For weeks. The last time she touched a sewing machine was to move it from one room to another, and before that, it had been a good 10 years.

So when we found ourselves in a quilt shop the other day, it was like venturing into a strange land. A land full of things with cat prints and charming flowers on them. As a rule, we try to avoid such places — the fabric selection at chain stores is depressing, and we obviously don't do quilts (hell, those no-sew, make-your-own fleece blankets that require you to cut fringe at the end are a little much for us).

But there we were, at The Cotton Cupboard in Bangor, in search of a fabric collection we had found online. The Maven had the ill-conceived idea of making her own crib bedding for the Little Lainsbury, and had been researching fabrics online for weeks. Though we were expecting to find all sorts of country-cutesy calicos, we were floored — shocked, really — by the selection.

For starters, once you start looking at specialty shops, the fabric quality factor goes up exponentially. And while there were plenty of novelty prints (read: lighthouses, silhouettes of kittens, farm animals), there's a market for that. But there were also plenty of tasteful, lovely prints — things we wouldn't mind making into pillows or skirts or simple summer dresses. The shop, owned by The Maven's former colleague Evelyn Caruso and her sister, Lori-Ann Knowles, carried all of the big mid-range lines, such as Amy Butler and Moda, and because there were classes going on, the place was packed.

They didn't carry the specific print we were looking for, but Evelyn handed The Maven a list of Maine quilt shops and told her the ones most likely to carry the fabric. As it turns out, there's a Maine Quilt Shop Hop in April, with promos and prizes at stores statewide. For more information, visit www.maineshophop.com.

We're still not sure if sewing is in our immediate future (we really should get to the dishes first) but the grand prize of a $2,000 sewing machine certainly couldn't hurt the cause. Neither could all that beautiful fabric.

Readers: Tell us your favorite fabric shops in Maine by posting a comment below or on our Facebook page.

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Baby Love

With the little man on the way, we're nesting, big-time. And these days, that means The Maven is all about knitting.

Problem is, The Maven is an ADD knitter — no tolerance for patterns that require a lot of time, fussiness or mental energy. It's not that she doesn't appreciate such projects. It's that they never get done. And frankly, we've got a lot of work to do before June, when baby Lainsbury makes his debut.

Thank God for Jil Eaton. The Portland, Maine-based knitwear designer can relate. She's known for her simple yet elegant children's patterns, which were inspired by knitting for her own son. They're whimsical, they look great, and you don't need a Ph.D. in fiber arts to understand them. Even better? Her bold use of color and texture is a creative departure from most of the cutesy stuff out there.

We own most of her books — her new "Pipsqueak Knits" is on our must-have list — and we're especially fond of Eaton's individual Minnowknits patterns (see the adorable "Hankie Pankie Blankie, pictured above). Even better? She recently introduced her own yarn line through Classic Elite, which means no more hunting for the perfect color.

If you haven't tried Eaton's patterns yet, get to your local knitting shop ASAP, or visit her Web site, www.minnowknits.com.

And now, we're off to start a sweater. With any luck, it will be finished by June.

P.S.: Moms, grandmas, aunties and other knitters: Who are some of your favorite baby knitwear designers?

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Knit-Wit

Blame it on the weather. Or the fact that The Maven is in full-on hibernation mode. But all we want to do right now is knit. Fortunately, our yarn stash is so huge that leaving the house wasn't necessary this weekend. But that doesn't mean we don't love a good yarn shop. Here are a few of our local favorites, but please, tell us yours by posting a comment below.

• Fiberphilia — Since we live in Orono, it's convenient to have a yarn shop right in town, but Fiberphilia would be a destination no matter where it was in Maine. We love this place. Owner Michele Goldman and her merry band of knitters are always great for help, conversation and encouragement, and the yarn selection is to die for.
32 Mill St., Orono, www.fiberphilia.com

• String Theory Yarn — The setting alone — a beautifully restored farmhouse off the beaten path in Blue Hill — is worth the drive. But the yarn here, hand-dyed by owners Tanis Williams and Karen Grover — is incredible. It's so soft and knits up like a dream. Plus, the notions and accessories are equally beautiful.
132 Beech Hill Rd., Blue Hill, www.stringtheoryyarn.com

• Heavenly Socks Yarn — Walk down the stairs into this tiny yarn shop and find yourself surrounded by luxurious cashmeres, sassy handpaints and whimsical wools. Don't let the name fool you — it's not just socks. Knitters will find endless inspiration and great advice.
82 Main Street, Belfast, www.heavenlysocksyarns.com

• Grace Robinson & Co. — This Freeport stalwart is like a high-end candy store for knitters, needlepointers and other needlecrafters. The friendly staff here is always willing to help with advice and inspiration, and the selection is one of — if not the — best in Maine.
208 U.S. Route 1, Freeport, www.yarnandneedlepoint.com

• Shirley's — The first time we saw Shirley's, we almost didn't stop because it looks like a tourist trap souvenir shop. But we're glad we did. This place is PACKED with all sorts of luxurious yarn. We go there for Rowan, but usually leave with about five skeins of things we don't need.
677 U.S. Route 1, Hancock, no Web address.

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The Beadin' Path in Freeport: Pearls of Wisdom

Walking into a good bead shop is like walking past a giant Christmas tree, all sparkles and light, shimmer and glimmer. And every time The Maven visits The Beadin' Path in Freeport, she feels like a kid at Christmas.

Every option seems like a beautifully wrapped gift. Shall we start with the findings — Sterling and gold-filled earwires, clasps and spacers or chain by the foot? Or shall we head straight for the beads — bold vintage lucite, real pearls, intriguing glass or semiprecious stones? This store has the largest selection we've seen in Maine — including a ton of interesting, not weird, vintage — but it's not just quantity that keeps us coming back, it's quality. Not only are the supplies there gorgeous (and available in bulk for the serious jewelry-maker), the staff could not be nicer or more helpful.

Recently, The Maven (who is a very crafty girl) needed wire chokers for pendants she had made. But the only ones she could find were prohibitively expensive. She knew The Beadin' Path had them, but they were out of stock during her last visit. Owner Heather DeSimone came to the rescue, custom-ordering the wires and shipping them free of charge. That's what we call customer service.

And that's what keeps us coming back to The Beadin' Path. Freeport is a long way from Orono, but a good destination — full of sparkling, beautiful things — is always worth the trip.

The Beadin' Path is located at 15 Main St. in Freeport, Maine. For more information, tutorials or to order online, visit www.thebeadinpath.com.

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Bosom Buddies

Over the last few days, we've been purging our house to prepare for the arrival of family from Montana. After filling six contractor bags, donating 300 books to the library and packing up the wagon with goodies for the thrift shop, we can actually see the floor in our guest room. Heck, we even uncovered the desk and chair in the office.

But there was one thing we weren't quite sure what to do with: all of our leftover yarn. When the weather turns cool, The Maven becomes a mad knitter, which means we often have odd little bits of wool lying around the house. Lengths of cashmere, angora and merino are really too nice to throw away, but they add up fast and, frankly, they're fairly useless.

Unless you know about Knitted Knockers. Yes, you read that right: Knitted Knockers — a soft, handmade alternative to silicone prostheses for mastectomy patients. This brilliant idea is the brainchild of Chesley Flotten, who owns The Knitting Experience Cafe in Brunswick. Flotten was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer at the age of 28 and had a mastectomy. In 2006, as Flotten describes it, "a wonderful friend, Mary Ellen, presented me with the most thoughtful and joyful gift — a knitted boob!"

In 2007, Flotten chose to have a second mastectomy as a preventive measure, and when she went to the local hospital for a consultation, she showed off said knitted boob. It was a huge hit, and the doctors and hospital staff thought other breast cancer survivors might want one (or a pair) too while they awaited fitting for a prosthesis or reconstruction. So Flotten's knitting group got stitching. WABI-TV in Bangor picked up on the story — and so did CNN — and since then, knitters around the world have contributed to the effort.

If you're interested in knitting some up and donating them to the cause, visit the Knitted Knockers section of The Knitting Experience Web site for more information and links to several free patterns. It's quick, it's easy and you'll be helping women feel a little more comfortable while dealing with a diagnosis that is anything but.

This is truly the breast — we mean, best — idea ever.

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Fiber Arts

Your doctor would tell you that more fiber is a good thing. And we'd agree.

But we would argue that a diet rich in fiber (arts) makes life less regular and more interesting. Which is why we were so excited to see maps for the Maine Fiber Art Tour out and about. Though the actual event is slated for the weekend of Aug. 7-9, most of the featured shops, studios, galleries and artisans will be open to to visitors year-round through 2012.

Though knitters will rejoice, this event isn't just about warm woollies. Yes, there's a fair share of yarn shops, spinneries and farms on the docket — you can visit a farm where they raise cashmere goats or one that raises alpacas (pictured). But this comprehensive, statewide, self-guided tour also highlights jewelers and book artists, paper makers and rug hookers, basket weavers and more — 130-plus, from Kittery to Fort Kent. The weekend tour includes more than 100 demonstrations in a diverse range of disciplines — from farming to felting, papermaking to purling. A full listing of the demonstrations is available here.

Maine Fiberarts Center in Topsham, the driving force behind the maps and tour, celebrates fiber in all its forms (well, the non-edible ones, anyway).

So get out and make a weekend of it or chip away at the list one by one. Either way, you'll get your recommended intake of fiber. And trust us: this is way better than a bowl of bran flakes or a glass of Metamucil.

To view an online map or a full list of participants, click here. Maps are also available at boutiques and natural food stores statewide.

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