Enfield Shaker Museum: A Look Inside

Yesterday, I shared photos with you of Enfield, NH and the Enfield Shaker Village buildings...today's photos give you a look inside. The stitching retreats were held at the Great Stone Dwelling House, which is also home to the Enfield Shaker Museum....built in 1841, the history of this amazing building was not lost on me....what a treat to stay in this unique environment, free of televisions, radios, phones, etc. (it was so quiet, at night you could hear the loons on the lake). Some might miss those modern day amenities, but I'll take the charm of this historic setting any day...and who misses modern technology when you have the company of talented fellow needleworkers, fabulous views, delicious food, and a full schedule of great events.

Again, you can click on any of the photos for a larger look...and these are from my personal collection - they are not to be copied, printed, used, or posted on the Internet without my written permission. Thank you!

First, a look at the accommodations - the top photo is of the room I have stayed in for both my visits...followed by a couple other rooms. My room still had the inside shutters for window coverings, while others have more modern shades. Pegs still adorn the walls for hanging clothing and various items...and the wooden floors add to the charm of these historic rooms.

At the end of each hallway is a quaint sitting area - where during the events, it was not uncommon to see needleworkers stitching, knitting, or crocheting...

The classroom on the second floor was filled with natural lighting during the day and was quite spacious. The top photo shows the classroom area before places were set...and the bottom photo shows the class binders and kits in place before attendees reserved their places.

All meals were served in the dining room on the first floor - this was the same dining room used by the Shakers, with men dining on one side of the room and women dining on the other. The food was catered by a wonderful local restaurant called Mickey's...and believe me, we did not go hungry - the food was excellent!

After dinner and the evening activities, attendees could visit the stitcher's lounge. This area was located on the other side of the classroom and was filled with comfortable stitching chairs. Although lighting was an issue at night, most everyone brought their own lamps...and you could find stitchers working on a large assortment of projects until the wee hours...lots of laughter and chit chat filled the lounge, where we relaxed in our pajamas!

The West Brethren's Shop houses museum exhibits/displays and is open to the public...during a lunch break, I took a look inside...many Shaker tools were on exhibit, along with displays featuring predominate Shaker skills (such as: herb and flower drying, broom making, woodworking, wool spinning).

The Enfield Shaker Museum also has a WONDERFUL gift shop, located in two rooms on the first floor of the Great Shaker Dwelling House. It features all sorts of goodies - many made by local artisans. There are beautiful Shaker boxes, gorgeous sewing boxes, pincushions, trays, jewelry boxes, and baskets - you can find all sorts of books on the Shakers, quilts, Shaker toys, pegs, cards/postcards, and pottery...you name it. Before you ask....yes, I did purchase a few things...but I had to ship them home, so you will have to wait for a photo....

Finally - something to make you smile. Late into the evening, while many were still stitching, we decided it would be fun to hang the chair from the class project (an 8" miniature Shaker chair) on one of the pegs next to a couple full-size chairs...so we took Teresa's completed chair and placed it on the wall...I just had to have a photo!

So there you have it - a look inside the Enfield Shaker Museum...a very unique, historical setting for a needlework retreat...

My View: Enfield, NH

Hello friends! I have returned from my teaching trip to Enfield, NH, where I had a marvelous time as the guest teacher for two New England Stitching Retreats. The weather and the scenery were both beautiful for my stay...and I witnessed a complete autumn color change during my visit. When I arrived, most of the trees were still green...but during my ten days in the area, the trees had turned the most amazing shades of orange, red, yellow, green, and brown. I took so many photos, I exhausted the memory card and battery on my camera on several occasions. I have decided to share some of my favorite photos with you over a few postings - today's post will focus on Enfield and the Shaker village where the retreats were held....future posts will give you a look inside, photos during the retreat, and photos of the adventure I took with Nataly on my day off between retreats. I was very inspired by the area and all the colors of fall - it was breathtaking! For those of you who visit my blog strictly for stitching, sewing, and quilting - please be patient while I share about my trip and I will get back to creative projects/photos soon....

Please note: these photos are all part of my personal collection - they are not to be copied, printed, used, or posted on the internet without my written permission. Thank you!

These first photos are of Enfield, New Hampshire and Mascoma Lake. Many of these were taken by climbing an extremely large hill across the street from the Enfield Shaker Museum in the late afternoon hours. There are several panoramic photos...and you can click on any of the images to see larger views. I found the foliage and the reflections in the water to be spectacular!

The next photos are of the Enfield Shaker Museum and Village - my home for the retreats. We stayed in the Enfield Shaker Museum (the Great Stone Dwelling, the largest Shaker dwelling house ever constructed and home to the Museum). The Enfield Shaker site has been cherished for over 200 years - at its peak in the mid 19th century, the community was home to three "Families" of Shakers....they practiced equality of the sexes and races, celibacy, pacifism and communal ownership of property. The Shakers farmed over 3,000 acres of land nestled in the valley between Mt. Assurance and Mascoma Lake, which they referred to as "Chosen Vale". In 1923, after 130 years of farming, manufacturing, and productive existence, declining membership forced the Shakers to close their community and put it up for sale. In 1927, forgoing a much more lucrative offer from a New York syndicate, the Shakers sold the site to the LaSalettes, an order of Catholic priests, ensuring the continued tradition of spiritual, communal life on the site. Between 1930 and 1931, the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette constructed the Mary Keane Chapel. In the photo below, you see the Enfield Shaker Museum (the Great Stone Dwelling House) on the right and the Mary Keane Chapel on the left - this photo was taken at dusk with the moon overlooking these historical buildings. Staying inside the Great Stone Dwelling is quite an experience - I will share some additional photographs in a future post...

This photo is of the Stone Mill Building - The Shakers constructed the Stone Mill in 1849 after its predecessor burned down on the same site...it contained three stories of water powered machinery for a variety of trades.

Shown below - The Ministry House - constructed in 1880, it was the last building built by the Enfield Shakers.

Next, a photo of the Dairy and the Laundry. The Dairy, the two-story building, was originally constructed as a one-story building in 1813 - a second story was added in 1825, and an addition was made to the east side of the building later. The Laundry building was originally a two-story structure built in 1813 - in 1833 a large addition was made to the east side and the entire third story was added. This addition contained water-powered machinery, fed with water from the mill pond behind the Stone Mill - the drying room was heated by steam provided by a boiler in the 1854 Cow Barn. The long single story addition to the Dairy was constructed in 1944 by the La Salette Brothers and has had a variety of uses.

The East and West Brethren's Houses are shown below. The East Brethren's Shop was constructed in 1819 (yellow house - shown on the right) and was utilized as a tailors' shop by the Shakers. The West Brethren's Shop constructed in 1820 (white house - shown left) and was used as a woodworking shop by the Shaker Brothers. Currently, the East Brethren's Shop is a private residence and the West Brethren's Shop houses museum exhibits/displays and is open to the public (the is where I took the photo of the brooms - one of my personal favorites).

The next two photos showcase the Shaker Village Gardens. The gardens are maintained by volunteers May through October. The top photos shows an over-all view of the gardens (herb, flower, and vegetable) and the bottom photos shows the colorful trees at one end of the gardens (I thought the colors were lovely and vibrant!)

Finally - here are several photos of the 1854 Cow Barn. This barn is such a photogenic landmark; although now surrounded by modern equipment and machinery, I tried to take photos that highlight the uniqueness of this fabulous barn.

Well, there you have it - my tour of Enfiled, NH in October...I hope you enjoyed this scenic look at the area. Over the next week I will share several more aspects of my teaching trip with you...

I am busy getting caught up on sleep and chores at home after being gone for 10 days (if you are waiting for an email response from me, please be patient, I still have several hundred messages that need a response!). I have quite a list of things to accomplish before heading to Modesto, CA at the end of the month to teach at an Elegant Stitch workshop....but before that trip, I hope to finish model stitching several new designs...

Scenery and Shopping

I'm a little behind on my blog posts, as I have been busy with teaching the last couple days...but I have definitely been having a blast in New Hampshire at the New England Stitcher's Retreat! The first retreat finished up this morning and festivities for the second retreat will start tomorrow evening. On Friday (special thanks to Bree, Elizabeth, Angela, Vicky, and Deb), I had a chance to do some power shopping at ABC Stitch and Keepsake Quilting before our retreat reception in the evening. I also visited a Dunkin' Donuts for the very first time, which amused many of the retreat attendees (I learned what a "munchkin" is and tried a couple different ones over the last few days)...

My day began with an early morning walk with Elizabeth and Debbie...we took an hour long walk in the area - we walked to the La Salette Shrine up the Shrine hill to the statues representing the Apparition and had quite a view from the top - the Shakers called this scenic area "Chosen Vale". The blue waters of Lake Mascoma, the birch, pine, and maple trees, and the surrounding hills and mountains are a breathtaking sight...and seeing it first thing in the morning with a light fog was a great way to start the day!

After our power walk and getting cleaned up, I headed down to breakfast and met up with Bree, Elizabeth, Angela, Debbie, and Vicky. We decided to make a trip to ABC Stitch Therapy first, then head to Keepsake Quilting in Center Harbor, NH. Our trip to ABC lasted a bit longer than anticipated, as there was so much eye candy to peruse...we were there for almost three hours (and this was knowing we would return for shopping and a tea party during the event). I picked up a couple things - some specialty pins (my favorite - Puntini Puntini), the limited Liberty Hill "Halloween Night Scissor Block", and a Homespun Elegance "Bird Pincushion Box".

With six people, we decided we needed to take two cars to Keepsake Quilting - after a comedy of errors and several wrong turns, we finally made our way to Center Harbor....it was a long, but scenic drive...and I was so thrilled everyone humored me, so I could visit this quilting mecca. After a quick bite to eat, I couldn't wait to get shopping...after all, this shop was on my bucket list and we were short on time. The manager was kind enough to let me take some photographs, just as long as I did not photograph their quilts....and the staff was quite helpful with all my questions and purchases. There was a fabulous Halloween display when you entered the shop...and rows and rows of fabric - I was in heaven...and again I found some stash I will have to ship home...but what's new?!...

I could have stayed quite a bit longer, but it was getting late and we still had to drive back to the Dwelling House in time for the tour and reception...luckily Bree is a fabulous driver with a great sense of direction and she got me back quickly and safely (thanks again Bree!). When we arrived back at the Enfield Shaker Museum, all of the attendees for the retreat had arrived and I got to see many long distance friends...I knew Sue, Ruth, and Patty would be there and I was excited to see their smiling faces! We got a short tour of the Enfield Museum, then headed to the reception for a lovely meet and greet, followed by some late night stitching.

Saturday and Sunday were jam packed with needlework, laughter, and fun. I spent most the days teaching and working with the students...and of course I stayed up late and giggled! I thoroughly enjoyed the first retreat and was excited to see many of the attendees finished a piece in the project....a handful even finished their Shaker chair.

This morning it was time to say goodbye to the first group...now that they are all a part of my needlework family, I hope to see each individual again soon! To those in attendance - thank you - it was truly my pleasure to have you in class....I appreciate all the kind words, support, and hospitality you showed me and hope our paths will cross again soon...hugs to you all....

So now, I am off to bed - Nataly is taking me on a scenic tour tomorrow before the evening events (so I will take lots more photographs)...I can't wait to meet the second group of attendees - it is going to be a great, fun-filled week!

A Day To Play

I made it to New England safe and sound...a few little travel hiccups - and I arrived a little later than planned...but all in all, a good trip. Marie (ABC Stitch) was at the bus station to meet me shortly before midnight and we made the quick trip to the Enfield Shaker Museum. My room was set up beautifully and I managed to get unpacked and settled. It is the same room I stayed when I taught here last year, so I felt right at home.

After a few good hours of sleep, I woke up to the joyous sounds of giggling in the halls and I knew my retreat experience was about to begin! I quickly got put together and made it downstairs for a bite to eat. I was super excited to have a free day before the events begin and couldn't wait to see some of the area! I was quite fortunate to meet up with Brenda (Bree) who was looking for someone to spend the day with - and offered to be my companion and chauffeur for the afternoon (thanks Bree - you rock!). We headed out not quite sure where we were going, but we knew we were in for an adventure...Marie gave us some suggestions and we were off. Our first stop was in Windsor, VT (yep, I actually made it to Vermont for the first time!) - we went to see the Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge on the Connecticut River. A little history for you: Built in 1866 at a cost of $9,000, the Cornish-Windsor Bridge is the longest wooden bridge in the United States and the longest two-span covered bridge in the world - built as a toll bridge by a private corporation, the span was purchased by the state of NH in 1936 and made toll free in 1943.

After a unique experience at the Windsor Visitor's Center, we were on our way to Woodstock, VT...Marie had mentioned there were wonderful little shops there, and of course, we were up for a shopping experience! I loved the scenic and historic town of Woodstock - we parked and walked around the entire shopping village - visiting the most amazing General Store I have ever seen - there seemed to be endless aisles of every product you can think of - it was (to quote Bree) very "Little House on the Prairie". There were a lot of quaint and interesting shops and the weather was beautiful for the walk!

Our final destination was Quechee, VT. We had a little snafu on the way, as the road we planned to take was closed...so we stopped for directions and found out the road/bridge was washed out by the flood (Hurricane Irene)...but we were given alternate directions, which lead us to the Quechee Gorge on the Ottauquechee River...which was unbelievable...I wish the photos did it justice. We actually walked out on the bridge and looked down (what seemed to be hundreds of feet) over the river...it was breathtaking...

After taking in the Quechee Gorge, we traveled into town to our destination - "The Mill" - the site of the old Quechee mill, which now houses the Simon Pearce Restaurant and Glassblowing/Pottery Retail Store. We ate a late lunch in the restaurant which sits out over the river with a beautiful close-up view of another picturesque covered bridge and a waterfall - unfortunately, the bridge and many surrounding buildings were badly damaged by flooding caused by Hurricane Irene. You will see in the photo below - the windows to the left were where we ate lunch...and in the background the damaged covered bridge. Our server told us the water had risen to just below the restaurant windows - the lower two floors of the building were filled with mud and water that they are still repairing and cleaning up. Large photos throughout The Mill documented the storms destruction. Inside looked good, as seen by the photos of the Simon Pearce Glassblowing Store.

It was getting late in the day - so we made a quick shopping stop on the way back to Enfield, to pick up a few necessities...then had a little time to get cleaned up before heading to dinner with four more stitching friends (two of which were Angela and Elizabeth who I had the pleasure of meeting at the first New England Stitching Retreat). We ate a a restaurant called Ramuto's Brick Oven Pizza in Lebanon, NH...good food and good friends - the perfect ending to my perfect day!

Tomorrow - we have a full day planned...including an early morning walk, a trip to Keepsake Quilting (YIPPEE!), and a visit to ABC Stitch (another YIPPEE!)...followed by a tour of the Enfield Shaker Grounds, and a reception...and more than likely, late night stitching and giggling!