Are You An Average Quilter?
by:Mark Bach
Do you ever wonder how some folks seem to crank out quilt after quilt seemingly effortlessly? Do you worry that your stash of fabric is growing faster than the room allows? Compared to your other friendly quilters, do you question how you match up?
Well, the 2022 Quilters Survey was recently released during the October 2022 International Quilt Market and gives some reassuring notice of what the world of quilting looks like today. It was presented by Premier Needle Arts and based on responses from over 26,000 quilters.
The survey continues to find that new quilters make up 8-10% of quilters, with new quilters entering during their 50s. When shopping for fabric, quilters focus on both location and availability, seeking shops within 30 minutes of home. Since the availability of all fabric lines was limited during COVID-19, more quilters reported using their stash and looking for fabric online. Most quilters are online using technology for some activities daily.
The quilting industry is growing with sales expected to reach $5 billion within four years. They found that there are 30 million "active sewists" in the United States and Canada. That number has decreased as people resume their normal pre-Covid activities! As our local shops return to "normal" and offer more fabric and classes, now is the perfect time to start a new quilt.
