KENNEBUNK — Hundreds of shoppers descended upon The New School campus in Kennebunk on Saturday, hunting for the perfect fabric, patterns, crafts and quilting supplies.
For the second consecutive year, The New School hosted its popular Fantastic Fabric Sale, offering the public more than 800 pounds of high quality cotton fabric in yardage and pieces.
The sale is one of a number of fundraisers for the school’s Intensive Studies program, a three-week exploration of an area of study that stretches students and gives them the opportunity for intense focus.
Marylyn Wentworth, the former principal of The New School, said the annual sale and fundraiser came about because she’s a quilter and in 2018, the school received a gift from the estate of Lynn Collins of 1,700 pounds of quilt fabric.
“It all just fell into our lap.” Wentworth said. “We had some fabric left over from our first sale and my mother, who was 102 and passed away, was a quilter and gave me all of her fabric for this. And some of this fabric here today was donated to our ‘Out of the Box’ thrift shop in Kennebunk.”
During Saturday’s sale, fabric was sold by the pound at an equivalent of $3 a yard; a reasonable price considering that most of it originally sold for $10 to $12 a yard.
Wentworth estimated that proceeds from the sale raised about $2,500 for The New School’s students and teachers to travel across the U.S. or to other countries for an intensive study of fascinating subjects.
She said intensives are one of the cornerstones of The New School and students use them to engage in experiences that help them see they can make a difference in the world. They also increase confidence, problem solving skills, and embody a holistic model; engaging mind, body and spirit.
Each intensive incorporates a volunteer and academic opportunity with students performing research and planning their trips.
This year’s intensive studies at The New School include “Natives Tribes of New England” in which students will visit many New England tribes and learn from them, and the second is “The Azores and the Slave Trade,” where students will spend time on the Azores which was the first stop on the slave trade route and continues previous studies about slavery in the Americas for students.
According to Wentworth, the most exotic fabric sold at this year’s sale featured drawings of women who looked like Barbie dolls in various stages of undress.
The sale also proved to be a bonanza for members of the Cocheco Quilt Guilt of New Hampshire, who were attending a retreat at the St. Anthony Franciscan Monastery in Kennebunk.
Joanna Evans of Manchester, New Hampshire, said someone else in the quilt guild had heard about the sale and told her about it.
“I wouldn’t have missed this for anything,” Evans said. “They have so much lovely fabric and a great selection at fair prices.”
Evans also took home a nearly finished children’s quilt that had been donated to the sale.
“What a find this was,” she said while showing off the quilt to her friends.
Wentworth said because of its ongoing success, the sale will return again next year to The New School.
“I have an addiction to beautiful fabric and it’s great to be around other people who have the same addiction,” she said.

Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 or by email at editor@journaltribune.com.

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