A Stitch In Time

And sew it goes. . . .

Quilting, that classic art form that weaves stories with stitches, is experiencing a resurgence in popularity.

"There's a lot of interest in it right now," says Jan Reese, 35, co-founder of The Quilt Patch, a Nashville, Tennessee, retailer of quilts and quilting supplies. "People like to see something that's done by hand. Also, people are looking to give a little part of themselves."

All that giving adds up: Quilter's Newsletter Magazine estimates the quilting industry to be worth approximately $1.5 billion-not exactly a threadbare figure.

Perhaps even more interesting is that nearly 70 percent of quilters boast at least some college education. That may explain why, according to Quilter's Newsletter Magazine, one-third of quilters own a computer and nearly 10 percent use quilt design software. Even tried-and-true traditions, it seems, are subject to modern-day face lifts.

Which may be all the more reason to predict that consumers of all ages will remain in stitches. "I think [quilting] will continue to be popular because it's so much a part of our American heritage," maintains Reese, who's been pleasantly surprised by the number of customers visiting her shop. "Quilts will always hold a special significance."

This article was originally published in the January 1996 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: A Stitch In Time.