On my recent trip to Utah, I visited a few quilt shops that I want to tell you about.
As you know, I have already told you about the Corn Wagon Quilt Co. in Springville, Utah, complete with a Podcast (#4) Soundseeing tour.
Two other notable stores that I visited are Mormon Handicraft in Salt Lake City and the Village Dry Goods in Brigham City.
Mormon Handicraft was organized in 1937 by Louise Y. Robison, general president of the Relief Society – a women’s organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During the depression of the thirties, a committee was formed to study the possibilities of a consignment shop to serve as an outlet for handwork done by women in the home to supplement the family income.
Mormon Handicraft began as a nonprofit organization under the direction of the Relief Society. The store encouraged home industry and allowed women to earn money while still tending to the home and family.
It has had several locations of the years and almost became extinct in 1986, but hundreds of customers begged them to keep in open. In 2004, Mormon Handicraft moved to its current location at This Is The Place Heritage Park. The new and larger store has continued its tradition of featuring consignment items, handmade gifts, home decor, quilting fabrics and supplies. The store also carries Lion House baked goods – the yummiest on the earth!
One of the reasons that I love Mormon Handicraft is because of their innovative quilt patterns. They have several quilt designers that are first class, such as Jodi G. Warner, who has won several distinguished awards for her impeccable hand applique.
Go to www.mormonhandicraft.com for more information.
Village Dry Goods is a cute and quaint store in the heart of downtown Main Street. It has old wood floors that creak when you walk, that gives you a reverence for the past. They have a hearty selection of beautiful fabrics, needlework items and home decor gifts. I went nuts in the store, personally. I only had 15 minutes and managed to make a sizable dent in my Debit card. If I had more time, my purchase would have been larger.
For basic info on the shop, go to http://www.quilt.com/Stores/SouthWest/Utah.html and scroll down until you get to Brigham City. Village Dry Goods is one of the shops included in Utah’s Shop Hop, June 22-25, 2005. To find out more about the particpating shops, go to http://www.utahshophop.com/. The three shops that I featured from my trip are Shop Hop participants.
Utah, itself, is absolutely infused with significant American history. Each of the places mentioned below embody that history.
Points of interest in Salt Lake City: