Nammie to 7

I started quilting in the late 70's - resources were rather limited and the quilt police were very much alive. I was told repeatedly I couldn't do this and I couldn't do that--all things I'm doing today. Resources have become abundant - before our learning was word of mouth. The guild I belong to has a place for everyone - groups for hand quilters, appliquers, beginners, EQ experts, modern quilts, long arm quilters, DSM quilters. I wish all of you could have such wonderful support!

MartiMorga

I just started quilting in the past 5 years.....loved to sew, not good at constructing clothes for myself, no children to sew for, a new sewing machine, some classes and here I am. 61 with one finished quilt and 4 UFOs. I enjoy reading this board every morning and have learned so much from all the experience here.

NikkiLu

Not sure of the overall picture - but DH and I just got back from the Paducah Quilt Show and he and I were amazed at just how many quilters were there. I asked him what he thought that the average age of the quilters was and he said "72" and they were all from Iowa - I said "Iowa? How do you know they are all from Iowa?" and he said "because they are all corn fed" - meaning that they were a little on the heavy side - LOL Can you tell we raise cattle?

crafty pat

I started quilting so long ago that my scissors a ruler and cardboard templates were my only tools. For a long time it was hard to find a lot of good fabrics. There was a time when there were not very many doing quilting. I remember it started coming back in the late 60's and 70's. I started getting interested in it again in the mid 70's. From there it started getting more popular and has really grown into what it is today. I am so happy the art was not lost.

seam-ripper-sue

I started quilting in the mid 70's, but my MIL who was a hand piecer & quilter said that quilts were not to be pieced on a DSM. So I stopped and only did crafting. After she passed, I inherited her small stash, some cotton, mostly polyester fabrics. Then my obession began. I think that any other craft can be mastered, but the world of quilting is always changing- different fabrics, different patterns, there is no end to learning the art of quilting. This is what holds my interest. (Except for the hand sewing the back of the binding, haven't mastered the elmers glue trick yet.) And after almost 40yrs of quilting, I still haven't made all the quilts I have pictured in my mind.

nvb50

I believe that it is becoming more popular.

mom-6

It seems to me like there was a period of time that hand crafts of all sorts more or less dwindled in popularity. Part of this I would attribute to the increase in the availability of inexpensively priced items from overseas. Then there was an upsurge in the past few years of appreciation for more locally produced handcrafted items. Many of these items are made by us retirees. However I think there is starting to be an increase in younger hand crafters as well.
In the Renfaire community we are seeing thirty something crafters beginning to join the ranks of those who have been doing it "forever" so we have hope for the future of many crafts.
Quilting is not one of the crafts represented in this environment but sewing of various other varieties is.

momto5

I started quilting in 1974, making the first quilt I gave away for a close friend of mine I worked with, who was having her first baby. After that, quilts were my "go to" for gifts....and I really needed something inexpensive to give as I had a staff of 50 shortly after that and at times it seemed as if they were challenging each other to see who could keep me the busiest. Many years later, I have made over 700 quilts and have given most of them away. And yes, I have had a ribbon or two in there as well....but I have most enjoyed doing what I wanted to do, with no one but me telling me what was right and/or wrong about them!
Improvements? YES! Differences? YES! Still fun after all these years? YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ghostrider

You know, if the internet sales tax law goes through and we all have to start paying tax for online purchases (those that live in the 45 states with a sales tax anyway), local shops may just see a boost in business. Shipping charges plus sales tax at the online retailers may balance out the lower prices they can charge because of their volume.

I started quilting in the 70's and have seen it 'bloom and prosper' since then, but it's been much faster lately. I think a lot of it is because of the internet and because quilting is easy for most women to 'pick up'. The vast majority of the retirement age group learned how to sew back in home ec classes and have been sewing, at least off and on, for a long time. They start with some level of confidence in their ability to branch out. There's also a much greater range of quilting styles, techniques, etc that can only result in a wider appeal. It's all good!

Peckish

I think the internet has been a HUGE factor in the growth of quilting. Not only do we have a lot more available to us in terms of supplies, but there are so many classes, tutorials, blogs, etc. that are easily accessible and free! Imagine this scenario:

It's 1970. You are in your 20's. You own a quilt made by your grandmother and are somewhat intrigued by it, but you don't have any quilting relatives. So you go to a guild meeting. There is a mix of kind, generous quilters, and a few of the quilt police variety. The quilt police tell you you HAVE to use these colors, and those fabrics, and you HAVE to stitch it by hand, otherwise it's not a REAL quilt. Maybe you don't really care for those patterns or colors they tell you to use. Maybe you don't have the time to hand-quilt. Maybe your feathers get ruffled by being told you have to do things a certain way, but no one ever tells you why. You lose interest and move on to a different hobby.

Compare that to today, where you can find OODLES of information, free tutorials, patterns, inspiration and ideas, and if you don't care for one style of quilt, it is quite easy to find other styles, other techniques, and especially other quilters like you. It's easy to move on from the quilt police.