Quilting, $3.5 billion industry, seeing bolder colors, bling and recycled-bottle batting

Quilting is certainly an art — an art, a craft, a hobby, a pastime, an outlet for creativity, even a form of therapy.

But in today's world it is also an industry — an industry that recently returned its annual International Quilt Market to Salt Lake City for a second time and drew hundreds of people from around the world to the Salt Palace.

Not open to the public, the show brought together people in all aspects of the industry, from fabric, thread and notion manufacturers, to book and magazine publishers, quilt shop owners, quilt designers and pattern-makers and more, to give them a chance to see what's new, what's exciting, what's going on in the world of quilting.

Gone are the days when quilting was only a cottage industry, when quilts were only made out of necessity. Today, it is a $3.58 billion industry in the United States with 21.3 million quilters, nationwide. Fourteen percent of U.S. households are home to at least one active quilter. But quilting is also popular all over the world, and Quilt Market attendees came from Germany, Belgium, Australia, Japan and other countries.

Utah has a strong presence in the industry, as well. Of the more than 530 booths at the show, 64 were Utah companies, ranging from individual designers to fabric manufacturers and sewing machine and equipment makers.

According to a survey commissioned by Quilts, Inc., sponsor of the annual trade show, and Quilters Newsletter magazine and released in connection with Quilt Market, the number of quilters is down slightly since 2006, when the last survey was taken; but expenditures have increased.

"I admit I was concerned that the news might not look good given the economic realities," said Kaye Bresenhan, president of Quilts, Inc. "But as a fifth-generation quilter myself, I should have known better. Nothing keeps quilters from enjoying something that allows them to explore both their talents and their creativity."

She attributes the strength of the industry largely to "dedicated quilters," who represent 6.2 percent of quilting households, but are responsible for generating 69 percent of quilt industry spending. Dedicated quilters tend to be female, older, well-educated, affluent and have been quilting for an average of 16 years.

The International Quilt Market returned to Salt Lake City for only the second time in its history, but not the last, say folks at Quilts, Inc. "We love this venue," said spokesman Bob Ruggerio. They love the tours of local quilt shops, a chance to see historic quilts at This Is The Place Heritage Park, as well as other side-offerings.