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Out and about in Camden

or, what I’ve been doing lately. I thought (?? who me?) you might (???) like to see where I live here in Camden, Maine (this hotlink should, ahem, and I hope, take you to a Google Map). So….Scroll down for lotsa photos of where I live… But just to give you one of my favorite things about Camden, is the crosswalks: Stop, Wait, Wave… I love that it is so friendly (and that there are blissfully NO stoplights in the center of town, though there are two flashing lights on the edges)!

A bit of a preface: Maine is lucky, and maybe even unique, in having a state-wide quilt guild, the Pine Tree Quilt Guild. The state is divided into areas (7 I think), which have a whole bunch of local chapters (just checked… seventy!), plus at least two statewide chapters (one for art quilters, one for crazy quilters). Our local chapter is the Coastal Quilters. Many of the chapters have chapter banners, and someone (hi Gail!) recently suggested we should have one too, and would anyone (hint hint) like to design a banner. She meant me, but I needed NO prodding, as designing is just about the most fun part of quilting. I promptly volunteered and designed one. However, I’m not going to share the design with you … yet anyway! (Yes, I know I’m wicked!)

BUT, the Coastal Quilters Chapter banner will feature local / mid-Coast landmarks, from Lincolnville/Northport on the north end to Rockland in the south. For many of them, I already had what I call “reference photos,” which I used to draw patterns for 6 inch blocks. But, I needed a few extras. So today, I went in search of the remaining few special sites:

Cappy’s Chowder House, where Elm Street turns into Main Street at the intersection with Bayview Street (it’s one of those old-city/town things…where a single street has multiple names depending on where you are on it!):

The Chestnut Street Baptist Church is right on the village green, and was my “quintessential New England Steeple” in my quilt Autumn on the Village Green:

The Elm Street School is right near the heart of town (a long block or two-ish from the green), and has been in use as a school since 1896 (or thereabouts):

here’s another view, from Union Street (to the side):

Then, I saw this glorious doorknob on Elm Street, which I have walked past without noticing countless times…. they just don’t make things like that any more!

Some of the Rockport residents (Rockport is the town next to Camden…unless you know where one stops and the other begins, you’d think they were one municipality) asked to have the Rockport Opera House on the quilt, so I snapped this photo today. The Opera House overlooks Rockport Harbor… another heavenly spot:

We also all wanted to include Children’s Chapel on Vesper Hill, on the peninsula that juts out into Penobscot Bay and separates Camden and Rockport harbors (well sorta…there’s a bit more coastline in there, but you get the idea). This is an idyllic setting and I’m pretty sure it gets lots of summer traffic for weddings. It is an open-air structure with lovely grounds / garden:

and totally irrelevant but to the Chapter banner, but a house in Camden, has these leaded windows that make my heart sing every time I drive by. Some day I’ll get out of the car and take a picture of the oval leaded glass windows on the side of the entryway which are even more wonderful than the fanlight over the door:

6 Responses to “Out and about in Camden”

  1. Dana Says:

    Oh my goodness…I just noticed that you added me to your list of blogs….golly, thank you 🙂

    Merry Christmas!

  2. :-D eirdre Says:

    Great tour of the village! I love the doorknob – does it fit the rest of the house?

  3. Karoda Says:

    Even the photos here feel “quaint”…wishing Peace to you and yours this holiday!

  4. Mandi aka Fabric Princess Says:

    So does anybody actually wave?
    LOL

  5. Revalani Says:

    Camden looks impossibly picturesque; really a charming town.

  6. Anonymous Says:

    Sarah, you just reminded me that it’s been too long since I’ve driven through, on my way to visit friends in Blue Hill.

    My favorite store is sorta down the hill, and to the left, from Cappy’s.

    Mandi, yes! They wave……

    Peace,
    neen