Loved your article..apparently being an artist at heart this is open season for the arts
..theres to much transpiring not to be recorded in a quilt expressed literally in a positive note as a reaching out..as a love letter to humanity.
Is the quilting industry dying? Does it have any hope of a future? How do we draw new people into quilting? These are questions we've been asking ourselves for years. Perhaps you've been asking them too? Then, let's do a deep dive into this topic together!
For years now, my mother, sister, and I have been having conversations about how to draw the next generation into quilting. We've had conversations about why my mother's generation seems to be absent from a lot of traditional crafts. So many women around her age or a little older, seem completely disinterested in any kind of craft or hobby. What made generations before them pass these skills on, and how do we get back to that place culturally, where it's normal to pass on skills like quilting and sewing? How do we get people to see that quilting isn't an obsolete 'Granny Hobby' but a practical and useful skill with almost unlimited applications and uses? And an important part of our culture and heritage?
What Made Quilting Unpopular?
The good news is, I think I've got a pretty good idea why things like quilting can skip generations or die out entirely. I've had many conversations with people over the years about different areas of life. Things becoming 'too old-fashioned' or 'outdated'. From bone china to church organs, there's a common thread in all of these stories: A lack of inclusion from a young age.
I look at my own story and find further proof of my hypothesis. I've been interested in 'old things' for as long as I can remember. I loved old furniture and old china. I loved quilting and sewing and crochet. So what was different about my childhood compared to so many others my age or my mothers age?
Growing up, my mum had this china cabinet filled with brown transferware that had belonged to my Dad's grandmother. I loved those dishes. I don't remember the first time I fell in love with them, but I know I spent a lot of time looking at them. When I look at them now, they aren't the prettiest, but my childish eyes saw nothing but delight. The truth is, I think I was taught to love those dishes. My mum didn't even like them, but she let us use them. We'd have tea parties or we'd use the dinner plates for special occasions. We were included in their use, which made me view them as an important part of life. They were not some far off forbidden object that we were too young to touch. This created a lot of positive memories around china and I've never outgrown my love for china or tea parties.
I had a conversation with a youth pastor some years ago, who mentioned the way some church members behaved when children would try to 'play' the organ. They would aggressively reprimand these curious children who were honestly, not even doing anything bad or harmful. They weren't endangering themselves or damaging the organ. He commented on how these same adults would then be surprised when the next generation grew up and wanted to do away with organs and organ music (which has already happened in most churches). Or never thought to learn how to play the organ. Has this maybe happened to a lot of people with quilting? Was it a forbidden, don't-touch-that, kind of thing where children didn't feel included so they never developed curiosity? Or did they instead developed negative associations around it because of how they were treated? Or maybe were they simply never exposed to it so they were never aware it was an option?
After hearing so many stories, I'm convinced that this is the big divider between those who carry on traditional skills and those who don't. This means that we can change this for future generations. We can teach kids how to love quilting, sewing, crochet, or baking. They learn to love it by seeing us love it and by being (safely) included.
Practical Tips for Encouraging Others To Quilt
Multi-Generational Spaces
My mum has influenced me in so many ways. I mentioned earlier in this article, how she taught me to love china by creating positive memories around it. But she also taught me to love sewing and quilting.
You see, I grew up watching my mum sew. She sewed clothes and costumes for me, my sister, and our cousin. She sewed clothes for both of my grandmothers and curtains for almost everyone she knew! Her little Sears Kenmore sewing machine (that was her mum's) was a frequent guest on our dining room table.
Watching her sew, made me curious to try it for myself. She'd give us scraps of fabric and my sister and I would make little quilts and attempt things like bibs for our dolls. When we got older, she helped us to sew our own clothes. But including us, took sacrifice. There's a Piglet sticker on her sewing machine that was put there by my sister. We also recked a tape measure or two. And I'm sure I 'organized' her buttons more than she'd have liked.
Mum's Vintage Sears Kenmore Sewing Machine
Open your sewing room doors for younger visitors. Even if they are only playing on the floor while you sew. Their curiosity will get the better of them. And you have no idea how much they will pick up just from watching you. Sometimes, the cost of preserving a tradition means sacrificing a tape measure or allowing kids to 'help' organize your button stash!
Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder
I have heard countless stories of people who hated quilts until they stumbled upon a quilt that suited their tastes. Imagine all of the quilts you've seen that you don't like. What if that was all you were exposed to? Would you still want to try quilting? Perhaps not.
Someone who has a love for modern minimalism is not necessarily going to appreciate traditional quilt fabrics, and vice versa. I'd suggest, if you are trying to encourage a young person into the hobby, take them to a quilt shop with you and let them pick out some fabric that speaks to them. Pull up Pinterest and search for Quilt Patterns, and let them point out what catches their eye.
Family Quilting Retreat
My sister sent me a video on Instagram recently about a family that gathers once a year for their own quilting retreat. There is a whole bunch of them; mum, aunts, sisters, and nieces. They get together and quilt for a week and spend time together. It’s so special that several generations share a hobby and can come together for some fun once a year. But perhaps this would also be an opportunity to draw others into quilting. So many of us got hooked because of a family member!
The future is...quilted?
So is the quilting industry in jeaopardy? Is it dying? In a word? No. I think it's just getting started.
Over the last year, I've watched as more and more Gen Z’ers and young Millennials share about their quilting journey. But the proof is in the pudding as they say. Or in this case, the numbers. In February, QuiltCon took place in Arizona. We did not have the privilege to attend. But, I loved watching everyone’s posts about the event. One such post was about the attendance numbers for the past decade or so. The show over the last decade had an average of 5,000 attendees. However, since 2022 those numbers have skyrocketed, with 2024 having a record of 25,000 people attend. This shows that not only is quilting growing, it's growing at a very rapid rate!
From conversations I've seen in other areas, and trends in other industries, I believe Gen Z and younger generations are craving many of the older, more traditional skills. Physical book sales, for example, hit a record year in 2024. I honestly believe that a lot of younger people, us millennials included, have found the virtual-only world rather lacking. They (or we) are craving culture and community. And quilting can provide both.
If this is a taste of the future of quilting, I would say it's lookin good!
Lorelai Kuecker of Pig In A Blanket Quilting is one of the QuiltCon winners that caught my eye.
Lorelai is 15 years old and has been quilting since before 2021! Her quilt Magnetized won first place in the Youth category at QuiltCon.
Here she is with her prize winning quilt. Take note of her elaborate quilted dress. Yes, she made that too!
Photo curtesy of Lorelai Kuecker of Pigs in A Blanket Quilting
Quilting Is Worth Preserving
Quilting has been an important part of North American culture for centuries. It was a practical skill used to create warm layers for beds and bodies alike. If quilting served no practical purpose (which I think it does), it'd be worth preserving just to preserve our heritage.
Quilting has many practical applications. From cozy bed coverings for our cold Canadian winters to quilted jackets, pot holders, coasters, and bowl cozies, to name a few. It's not just pretty!
Lastly, I think quilting is worth preserving because it provides incredible opportunity for community. Traditionally, quilts were hand quilted by a group of ladies from the local community. These groups were as much social as they were practical. And I think you'd agree with me, this world needs more community, not less!
If you made it this far, wow, thanks for stickin with me! Why do you think quilting took such a big hit over the course of the last 50 years or so? How would you encourage others to started quilting? Let us know in the comments below!
About The Author
Hello there, I'm Abigail!
I've been quilting on and off since the age of 8! I have always loved quilts and quilting. I also love teaching about quilting and helping others to get started in this wonderful craft! My non-quilting hobbies include sewing, baking, and hand embroidery. You can find me on IG @abigaildkelly where I share snippets of work and life!
Comments
Thank you for the Interesting article.
My husband had great memories of lying on a bench or the floor at church listening while his mom and other Church Ladies gossiped and sewed an afternoon or two every week. They were usually working on someone’s quilt made for a wedding gift or for a needy family.
He grew up under quilts and had a great respect for each and every one his mother made. I inherited her handmade quilt racks and stands in 1970 ( they might be 150 years old now) and would lend them out to other women who wanted to make quilts for charity. I have never used those racks because I started quilting by machine but they are still in a place of honour.
I still feel like I will never have the talent my mother-in-law had for beautiful quilting ( not her only craft talent). But I have developed a love of it and right now at 83 years of age I’m working with one of my granddaughters on her wedding quilt . Love of quilting will never fade away in our family.
I gave my daughter sewing lessons but she never took to it! My granddaughters however love it. I taught both of them fist to sew on the 2 singer featherweights passed down from my grandmother and mother as they were easy. They have both graduated to computerized machines and love making small items and designing other items.
Loved your article.
I think sewist of all kinds could have a book club style club and bring the younger children and everyone could sew. I still have the teddy bear I made when a neighbor had a bunch of kids in to sew. She had patterns material and what not.
I started quilting in my mid twenties, I was the young one, and I was hooked from my first class! Recently my daughter, 20 attended my quilt guild March retreat with me, so just two weeks ago and she has taken to it like a fish to water! I’m so excited! She has already bought a great desk and set up an area in her home with her stash that she took from my overflowing stash. I gave her an extra sewing machine I had and notions she will need. Her dad’s mother, who is elderly and no longer sews gave her all of her quilt rulers, cutting mat, threads, and some more fabric. She keeps sending me pictures of things she’s sewn, little pouches, drawstring bags, and even a quilt top.
My husband and I are surprising her tomorrow with an ironing board, work table, and a shelf for her fabrics.
Quilting got me through some difficult times in my life and I don’t consider myself creative but it is my passion, it is my mental health therapy and it’s beautiful and serves a purpose and creates memories for our loved ones. Seeing my daughter having the exact experience I had when I started (though she’s definitely got the creative gene) makes this momma’s heart so proud. I really hope more young ladies could just feel the hum of the machine under their fingers, I’m sure they would be hooked as well!
Let’s keep encouraging!
Tena