Quilt Shop Visit - Keepsake Quilting

Y'all, there are lots of good men out there. There are kind, funny, handsome, smart men in the world and I know you hang out with some of them. But me? I've got the best one!

Can I just tell you about it? He planned this beautiful, amazing trip to Boston and Cape Cod for our 25th anniversary. He found two quilt shops on the Cape to visit while we were there. And then, when the rain made our plans for the last day in Boston a little less appealing he said, "You know, New Hampshire is only another two hours from here. I've never been to New Hampshire." 

Then he proceeded to drive me to Keepsake Quilting. Sign me up for another 25 years!

When you walk in and see this place that you've only imagined from the pictures, it's completely overwhelming. There is so much fabric! But not in a bargain bin, sort-through-the-old-stuff-to-find-a-rare-gem kind of way. No, it's like a very nice quilt shop only WAY BIGGER. 

This is just one shelf in the batiks room.
I couldn't get a decent picture to show all of them.

The rooms keep going and going, with fabrics mostly sorted by color but with some special groupings. There is a whole room of batiks and several walls of their famous kits. 

At one point I was just wandering and couldn't even decide where to start. The Pit Boss said, "I didn't drive all this way for you to not buy anything, so get busy." See what I mean?

And then there's a sale room! Which literally had more fabric than some small quilt shops I've been in. 

I do want to squash one little rumor I heard. Someone told me that Keepsake Quilting was going to close their store and go to online sales only. I asked the woman who helped me and she said this rumor goes around every so often, but the store is a destination and there are no plans to close it. Judging from what I saw, it really is just a rumor.

I did finally pick out a few things (left to right):

• Black and white print from Timeless Treasures
• Cream on cream polka dot called Spot On by Robert Kaufman Fabrics in meringue 
• Red and white ticking stripe from the Little House on the Prairie line by Andover Fabrics
• A blue and white gingham check from the sale room with absolutely no information - there's no selvedge. If you know what this is, please let me know! 

One more thing: if any of you live in New Hampshire and can answer this for TPB, please do. He's dying of curiosity. How does New Hampshire have no sales tax and no state income tax? How do they pay for anything? Inquiring minds want to know.