expedition to New Hampshire
Ben and I went to New Hampshire yesterday. Our destination was the Dorr Mill Store. It is about a 2 hour drive from our house, it was a beautiful day, the fall colors are just beginning and I’d heard good things. I wanted to check it out.
Oh yeah, it was good.
Here is the silly thing- I feel guilty buying fabric this way! I make most of my dolls from thrifted or salvaged wooly goodness but sometimes I just need to go somewhere with colors on bolts. Well, some of this did come from their small pieces bin so that can be guilt-free.
I have a hard time finding wool that is a good color for brown skin. What I find at the thrift store is too dark. I was completely out. I was also very low on my pink skin colors and hadn’t found any after several trips to various thrift shops. And, the problem with all the thrift store shopping is, I come home with other stuff. And then I need a place to put it. The skin color wools were my reason (excuse) for the trip and I am very happy with what they had. I also managed to find other goodies as you can see. Everything is washed and soft and ready to use. Bee-u-ti-full!
I had a few fantasy wools I was hoping to find, but no luck- an even black and white stripe, a heathery olive green and/or a herringbone olive green. I’ll just have to keep looking.
Here are some store photos-
the main fabric room-
Another room with kits, patterns, and over-dyed wools. Also a big collection of Gail Wilson kits and dolls.
and more-
It was definately worth the trip.
September 23rd, 2009 at 11:37 am
what a fun store! it would have taken me forever to choose and then another forever to pare down the pile to ‘buyable’ lucky you!
September 23rd, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Oh, I haven’t been to Dorr Woolen since I lived in NH in the 80′s. I loved that place..definitely made me want to take up rug hooking. Glad to know they’re still in business :-)
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Mimi, What a gorgeous store ! I am going to enquire about international shipping. Thanks for the link !
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:38 pm
You’ve been to the place I’ve dreamed about since I became a rug hooker! It looks wonderful. My first-ever hooking project was a kit that came with pre-cut wool. Since then, I’ve used recycled wool from the thrift shop. It’s always fun, but the thought of going to Dorr and just picking the colour you want is wonderful.
September 24th, 2009 at 5:59 am
hi mimi!
oh my gosh! what an wonderful store! thank you for the link!
i love what you found!
that was a perfect day!
thank you for sharing it!
:) melissa
September 24th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Heaven.
September 25th, 2009 at 7:14 am
Hadn’t heard of Dorr Mill store, looks like a facinating place. And just west of me too. But I don’t need another piece of Material ! I need to get to work and use up what I have. But your trip sounds like a good one on a beautiful Fall day …I have a good friend that lives in Newport pretty country to “visit”. I always enjoy reading on what your doing !
Enjoy !
September 25th, 2009 at 7:16 am
Not west of me it is North west just off I 89 of which I travel to go back to VT to visit. Someday I will find the time to stop in and shop.
September 27th, 2009 at 3:00 am
Thanks for the link! Will have to get there…
: )
Love your new sweater dolls.
September 27th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
what a cute store…
September 29th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Visiting Dorr is always a part of my annual trip to Vermont and area. Their wools do vary….so you should return again another time and keep searching for your fantasy wools. Another place to find some beautiful wool – and see lovely hooked rugs, too – is “Hooked in the Mountains” held in November at the Shelburne Museum (about 2 hour drive from Dorr). You can find more information here: http://www.gmrhg.org/site/hooked_8_show.html
September 30th, 2009 at 3:16 am
Have you tried Camp Wool in Wells Maine? I got some great pieces there last month, including some dark/olive green. Its definitely worth the trip.
January 21st, 2010 at 10:20 am
[...] love this pink wool. It was one of my purchases from my visit to [...]