Whenever we go to Utah to visit relatives, I try to find a quilt shop to visit.  Elaine’s Quilt Block quilt shop is very close to my sister-in-law’s house, which could be verrrry dangerous, as you’ll see once we step inside.  Featured in the Quilt Sampler edition of Fall/Winter 2011, the building was built to be a quilt shop, and it is a delightful place to visit.  The address is  6970 South 3000 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84121, and their website is *here.*  Their phone number is 801-947-9100.  They are located inthe Cottonwood Heights section of the city, up on the southeast bench of the mountains, if you know your way around, and are just off the 215 belt route freeway.

This is the view as you step inside the front door–bolts and bolts of fabrics, notions, light and bright, tall ceilings, a welcoming staff and so much to see!

Elaine’s has three levels and this is the stairs headed up to the upper level, which I’ll show you in a minute.  The lower level is classrooms and I didn’t visit there, but wanted to post this photo so you can see the cute displays they have tucked around the shop.  There are many project and quilt samples and they are all such good ideas–I want to make so many of them.

I’m still standing in the doorway, looking to my right. . .

. . . and a little further inside.

At the back of this main room/entryway, they have all their magazines, some more displays and samples.  The main room is flanked by two other large rooms with dramatic high ceilings–the better to show off quilts!

Entryway into the left room, which trends to Thimbleberries, Civil War and reproduction-style fabrics.  They have a huge selection.

The room to the right is where my heart resides: Kaffe Fassett fabrics, Australian imports, brights, batiks.

There are tables everywhere so you can lay out the fabrics for selecting colors for a quilt.  I loved the small decorative motif at the top of the shelving units.

The black and white section.

Rows of batiks.

And underneath the lines of fabrics are folded fat quarters.  I had a fun time with those, as I had a limited time and had to pick quickly (note to self: leave more time for Elaine’s in the future).

Upstairs are children’s and sale fabrics and Christmas and I believe, solids.

No, I didn’t have to carry my bolts downstairs to be cut–there is a large cutting table right in the middle of this room, and they cut it for me there.

At the main register, where I checked out, was this board of Block of the Month quilts they are running through the store.  I snatched one more pattern to add to my selection of fabrics, because of course, I need another project like I need a hole in the head, but it was the Thimble Creek Christmas quilt Santa’s Village pattern and it was charming (see below).

And that to me is one of the values and advantages of shopping at a local quilt shop like Elaine’s.  When you physically step inside, you are energized by all the creativity and samples and ideas that the shop owner has brought to their store.  I do both LQS and online shopping, but I feel more inspired by visiting a shop and seeing the fabrics, touching the samples and projects, turning them over in my hand and in my mind.  I hope you feel the same!