Vanessa Johnson’s Granny’s Fabric House has expanded its footprint three times since opening in June 2022, driven by steady growth in Rexburg’s crafting community. Located at 80 East Main Street, the shop shares a storefront with Idaho Sewing Center, which is owned by Lori and Aaron Miller and specializes in Bernina sewing machines.
Johnson, who began quilting seven years ago after teaching herself through online videos, runs the business alongside her daughter, Faye Franzen. Johnson noted that her husband, Alan, comes from a family with strong quilting traditions, which helped shape her approach to the craft.
The store stocks quality fabrics and crafting supplies, serving as a hub for local quilters and sewists. Beyond retail sales, the business focuses heavily on community engagement through regular events and educational classes.
Every other Wednesday, the shop hosts an “Open Sew” gathering, allowing customers to work on projects in a shared space. On select evenings, the store offers “Sip N Sew” events from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., where patrons can bring orders from Swig for pickup while they sew.
Johnson also teaches classes covering topics such as embroidery basics and bag making. Additionally, the shop holds a monthly charity sewing day, partnering with a different local nonprofit each month to create handmade items for donation.
A unique service offered by Granny’s Fabric House is the completion of unfinished quilt tops. Customers bring in partial projects, and Johnson finishes them into heirloom-quality quilts.
“Granny’s Fabric House is the fabric and notions and everything pretty much that you need to make beautiful quilts and projects,” Johnson said.
The business has moved locations three times since its inception due to increasing demand. Johnson emphasized that the shop aims to be more than a retail space.
“I would say that Granny’s Fabric House is more than just a fabric shop. It’s a warm, community-focused feel, where creativity is encouraged,” Johnson said.