More National Survey of Quilting

I filled out all 16 pages of the survey, and here is my reward:

It was good, and it cost 99 cents at the grocery!

To clarify the previous post, the "Dedicated Quilters" were not the only ones of 2,500 to receive the in-depth survey. They were sent to all sorts of quilters who answer the initial questionnaire, and some of the multiple choice answers reflected that.
One of my favorites was right at the start when you could describe yourself as a Collector, Quiltmaker, Enthusiast, Artisan, Professional, or "Quilt Appreciator: I enjoy looking at quilts and reading about quilting but I have never made, and I don't plan to make, a quilt."
I love that! Whenever someone says they "could never make a quilt", I always tell them they don't have to... we need people to appreciate quilts, too!

Many questions allowed several choices, which was good for capturing what quilters really do and think.
I want to share a couple questions with you...how would you answer these?

Why do you make quilts?
12 choices there, including the popular "Other" with a line to fill in.

In the past 30 days how many hours total did you work on quilts (which included attending classes, meetings and any other related activities.) That was followed by:
In the next 3 years do you plan to spend the more time, less time, or the same amount of time making quilts?

It seems to get even more specific as it goes on:
How many hours per week do you spend working on quilts?
In the past year, approximately how many of each of the following projects did you start?
That included 8 sizes, fashion, functional items and dolls!
I had to look at my calendar to even make a guess at some of this!

One of my favorites was:
What are some of the reasons you don't finish a quilt project?
They had 10 choices there. Would you mark this: "Make a mistake and abandon the project"?
I did mark "Find a new project I'm more interested in."
This one, with the one above, gave me pause to think about UFOs. Some of those are started and not done...until 10 years later! 

They had a list of 46 techniques you may have used in the past 12 months, and might be planning to use in the next year! That was good review. The list meant I didn't have to recall everything I'd tried, and I was pleased with the 22 I marked.

In the middle of the survey is 4 pages of TOOLS & SUPPLIES: do you own that item? Purchased in the past year? Plan to purchase? Purchase in person at a shop/show, online or mail order?
Yes, there were many times I was glad this is an anonymous survey because it proceeded to ask about amounts of money spent.
So ask yourself, in the past 12 months, how much have you spent on "miscellaneous" quilting supplies? Not including fabric (that takes it's own entire section). 
And what is the value of all the tools, equipment and supplies (not fabric!) you own...the cost to replace them all if you had to buy them all today!
Some of us have been quilting for so long that everything has doubled in price since we started!

I was doing OK until they asked the same questions about fabric.
Really, how much fabric do you have in your stash? And what would it cost to replace it all, at today's prices? ***
I tend to count my fabric about the same way I keep track of calories and "serving sizes"!

Batik stash... because you can't just have one!
(yes, that is  a laundry basket on the bottom)

The survey goes on to ask specifically about thread (I had to guess, I cannot count that high), sewing machines (5?), quilt shows (unfortunately, I do know how much I spent to go to Paducah!), and computer use. Whew!

Time to mail this survey in it's post-paid envelope and bid a fond farewell! I have done my bit for the Quilt Industry, and hope to see it remain healthy and growing for many years!
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***who remembers how thrilled and yet aghast we were to pay $5 per yard for a yard of that new metallic accented Hoffman print???