Hello friends! At the beginning of August we were able to travel to visit family to Portsmouth and the seacoast region of New Hampshire. After 3 years (2019-2022) where we weren’t able to go, it’s been great to get back to our yearly pilgrimages.
My husband’s parents are Portsmouth natives and retired there after a few decades moving around while in the Army. My husband’s brothers, aunts, uncles, and cousins also live in the region between Boston and Portland, Maine. They live far away from us, but we feel so lucky that it’s a place we love to visit so much!
You may also remember that Portsmouth was the inspiration for my last fabric collection, also named Portsmouth. 😉 Here are a few shots of some of that New England seacoast vibe that inspired the collection.
Classic New England coastline villages and vistas.
Near Rye Harbor State Park
And GREAT seafood. My first time going to Al’s Seafood in North Hampton and it was delish.
This visit I did my first ever bike tour of the city and neighboring islands with Portsmouth Historic Bike Tours.
It was one of the most perfect, beautiful New England summer days. Warm and sunny with a lovely breeze, but not too hot or humid. (Which I did NOT take for granted as our visit last summer was HOT and sticky.)
Amazing. I wished I had a go-pro camera mounted on my helmet so that I could have taken you all along with me!
Other stops in Portsmouth itself included the Portsmouth Fabric Company Quilt Shop
and it was extra fun to see my Portsmouth fabric stocked there! They said it was a hit for their shop. Pretty much the best compliment ever.
I also brought along my 2023 Riley Blake Sampler Quilt for some on-location photo ops. As you can see, I only brought the quilt top (because: suitcase space) but it was still fun to capture the quilt in the land of it’s inspiration.
Speaking of Portsmouth fabric, it’s starting to get a little scarce. I’ve listed what I have available in my Shop.
Other places with Portsmouth still in stock include:
Also speaking of Portsmouth, here’s a peek at the progress I’m making with the English Paper-Pieced stars I’ve been working on as my travel project this summer.
Not 100% sure what I’m going to do with them, but they’ve been a fun, portable project.
And for those still waiting for me to release the instructions for this layout – thanks for your patience! I’m a one-woman-show trying to juggle ALL of the things. With the end of summer there have been a lot more deadlines behind the scenes that I needed to get caught up on. I’m getting there.
The quilt is now finished and I’m planning to share final photos and assembly instructions next week.
One more fun thing to share: speaking of fabric collections, I’ve got a new collection in the pipeline for next spring! More to share on that in the coming weeks, but here’s some of the inspiration:
We have had such a lovely summer. Not nearly as many crazy busy milestones as last summer. As a result we were able to make more time for travel and catching up with extended family. It was awesome. Also, as a result, not much time at all spent in my sewing room. But I’ve learned over the years that is the natural rhythm of the calendar. Summer is for people, and traveling, and being outside (and yard work) – there will be more time for sewing in the months ahead.
Especially now that football season is here. I’ve come to love football season for new reasons: mainly the fact that the rest of my family loves watching football (not that I don’t love watching it occasionally) but it gives me time to campout in my sewing room and no one misses me. 😉
Hopefully this also bodes well for me getting caught up on SO many things.
Mari-ann Miller
Nothing like the New England coast and it’s fresh seafood… (and family!)
Betsy Davis
What a beautiful summer you had!! Portsmouth is just gorgeous!! No wonder you had such inspiration for your amazing fabric line!!! I just love it!
Rhonda Ferguson
I live in Australia and will be visiting this area next year. Thank you for the travel guide! I can’t wait.
Louise
It is easy to see why Portsmouth inspired fabric! Is there any chance you will make a kit with Portsmouth for the Riley Blake challenge like you did with Notting Hill? Life got in the way, so I’m just finishing the 2021 challenge from your kit. I love it and this would be a perfect match!
buddhajames777
First, I was going to thank you for the pictures of New England – where I was born and still the land that I love!
Second, I had a fairly full complement of your Portsmouth fabric collection, but I got so many requests from friends for table runners, lap quilts, pillows, and aprons that I will be lucky if I even have enough left to make a pair of potholders for myself!! (Note to self: NEVER show off your fabric purchases to friends…they’re vicious!).
Third, a few years ago I received your Sugarhouse Star pattern as a gift. Guessing I’m not the only person who has ever written to you, and I run the risk of boring you with repetition, but a short note. My grandfather was a sugar maker (maple syrup) for 75 years. He boiled his first batch in 1918, and my very large family spent our springs at his Montague, MA, sugarhouse, each of us tasting his syrup from the tin cup that was there from day one. When Grandpa (his name was Robert Ripley…believe it or not!…pun intended) died in 1993, an older sister inherited the cup…so, when I received your Sugarhouse Star pattern, I knew immediately that I wanted to make a quilt for her that would match the color of the New England mountains. I made one in bold, modern colors for someone else but was glad it was something I made to give away. It didn’t touch my heart the way the “Sugarhouse Star” pattern did, and up ’til now I haven’t found the perfect colors. But, it looks as if … please, please, please tell me … I have found the perfect colors in your new spring collection!!!! How many months, weeks, days until it’s released?! I am already over the moon about it!
Paola
I was in NH and in Maine in 2017, coming from Italy and I visited the Portsmouth Fabric Shop. It is amazing and I bought there my very first fabrics to make my first quilt! Lovely memories and thanks to you, Amy, for sharing your experience and photos in those wonderful places!
Sheri Ketarkus
I went to nursing school with a gal from Portsmouth (she was a native also). I was stationed there in 1975-1976.
Rose
The photos are stunning! Thanks for sharing!
Louise
Loved visiting Portsmouth with you. As a transplanted New Englander (now in AZ) it warms the cockles of my heart to see the ocean and the lovely beachy flowers. Thank you!
buddhajames777
My New England family has a large contingency transplanted in Arizona. Interesting the connection b/t NE/AZ and NE/FL, but I will take New England each and every day of the week!
Jan Weicksel
Thanks for sharing the beautiful area around Portsmouth! My son is a grad from U of New Hampshire. We lived in Michigan at that time, and I always threatened to find a house for sale in that area so we could be close by. One of my favorite places in the US!
Kathy J Robinson
Thanks for sharing your photos with us, of Portsmouth, a place I have never been! So beautiful.
Kathy Robinson, Rochester, MN
Sheryl Scherba
beautiful area of the country! I have made 2 quilts already with your Portsmouth fabric line – I love it so much – I still have plenty in my stash for future – it is a favorite of mine.
Amy
Aww, thanks Sheryl!
Gwyn
So excited that you got to get back to NH this summer, but jealous, because I didn’t. Dying for some fried clams. Trying to plan for fall break. Love, love, love all your photos and your EPP. I haven’t made anything from the Summer Memories book, but I did use the template for a baby quilt. Thank you again!