Kudos to the Quilt and Fabric Shop owners, Artists and others who find creative ways to attract our attention. This is the first in what I hope will become an occasional Razzmatazz! post - spotting something exciting to attract our attention.
Our sunny days allow for shopkeepers to get creative with signage to encourage shoppers to stop in. These two signs were spotted at a local quilt shop.
For some reason, my husband particularly enjoyed seeing this signboard:
The days are getting shorter and there will be more cozy time in the evenings for hand quilting. Spotted late in the afternoon: "Should you quilt today?" Just in case a shopper was hesitating about stepping inside the fabric shop, this sign offered a bit of encouragement:
This "Measure Twice Sewing Print" is by Alexandra Snowdon. A hand made lino cut design featuring a quote worth remembering! Perfect for the walls of your sewing room or workshop. Available at snowdonprints Fine Art Prints on Etsy.
Feed Sacks: The Colourful History of Frugal Fabric is designed by Janine Vangool. Written by Linzee Kull McCray, this book is Volume F in the UPPERCASE Encyclopedia of Inspiration.
From the website: Feed sacks are the perfect example of a utilitarian product turned into something beautiful. Author Linzee Kull McCray explores the history of the humble feed sack, from a plain burlap or cotton sack to exuberantly patterned and colourful bags that were repurposed into frocks, aprons and quilts by thrifty housewives in the first half of the 20th century. Extensive imagery and at-scale reproductions of these fabrics create an inspiring sourcebook of pattern and colour—and offer a welcome visit to a slower-paced way of life.
View the video, below:
The 2014 Quilting in America™ survey shows that there are more than 16 million active quilters in the country. That means one out of every 20 Americans quilts!
These were some of the key findings of the 2014 survey, presented by F+W, A Content + eCommerce Company, and Quilts, Inc., producers of International Quilt Market and International Quilt Festival. The survey is conducted every four years by independent survey companies.
From the survey:
Casual quilters are more apt to move in and out of quilting and other crafts as their interests and their disposable income change, and the Great Recession undoubtedly had a significant economic impact on the ability of those casual quilters to pursue their interest in quilting and other crafts.
“However, we know Dedicated Quilters don’t regard quilting as an optional hobby, but as part of their lives. They, like quilters throughout history, quilt during good times and bad. Their quilting is both a means of expressing themselves creatively, and also of expressing what is going on in their lives and how they are dealing with it,” said Karey Bresenhan, president of Quilts, Inc., and Director Emeritus of its shows.
Those “Dedicated Quilters” represent 12.2% of all quilting households, and account for 60.4% of the total industry expenditures, or about $2.27 billion, according to the survey. Each Dedicated Quilter is defined as one who spends more than $500 a year on quilting-related purchases, which include sewing machines, fabric, notions, tools, patterns, books, computer programs, batting, and thread. In fact, the Dedicated Quilter actually spent an average of $3,296 per year on quilting.
Demographics of the Dedicated Quilter indicate she is female; about 64; is well-educated (79% attended college); has a household income in excess of $100,000; and has been quilting an average of 20.3 years. Among Dedicated Quilters, 81% are traditionalists, while 38% embrace art quilting, and 35% enjoy modern quilting styles. Some enjoy multiple types of quilting.
The Dedicated Quilter owns, on average, almost $13,000 worth of tools and supplies and has a stash of fabric worth nearly $6,000, which the majority (88%) store in a studio or room dedicated solely to sewing and quilting activities.
And quilters are also tech-savvy, with 87% owning a tablet or eBook reader today. The percentage of quilters who access the Internet daily has grown to 86%, up from 73% four years ago. The data indicates that quilters spend 3.5 hours per week watching quilting-related online broadcasting to learn new tips and techniques, get inspiration, purchase fabric, tools, and supplies, and to search for free patterns.
This "dedicated quilter" will be on the look-out for exciting ways that those in the industry are working to get our attention and keep us dedicated to the craft. Special thanks to the creatives spotlighted here for their Razzmatazz! spirit.