This story appears in the
January 1996 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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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."
Contact Sources
Quilter's Newsletter Magazine, Box 4101, Golden, CO
80402-4101, (303) 273-1321;
The Quilt Patch, 2416 Music Valley Dr., #158, Nashville,
TN 37214, (615) 883-7404;