Cultivating & leveraging quilters’ harmonious passion

ABSTRACT

A qualitative study explores the motivations that underlie quilters’ passion for their hobby and their strategic ramifications for bolstering faltering retailers. The researchers joined “passport”-carrying quilters and conducted interviews at several stores participating in a “Shop Hop” in Southeastern United States. Responses revealed the interviewees were driven by affective, altruistic, cognitive, creative, esteem, historical, health, social, and utilitarian motivations. Marketing strategies appealing to the identified motivations are proposed to aid retailers challenged by current market conditions.

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge three industry professionals who shared their time and perspectives: Alex Anderson (AlexAndersonQuilts.com), Ladye Buckner (The Stitch ’N Quilt Shoppe, Lawrenceville, GA), Jeanie Plant (Richland Sewing Center, Hurst, Texas).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).