The Quilting Lifestyle

So I am starting to catch myself blogging about quilting and my job at the quilt store in just about every blog I write.  This one isn't going to be any different. Recently, I was reading in the textbook about people's lifestyles and how these lifestyles formed a person's identity. It was interesting to read on page 470 that "people in the same social and economic circumstances may follow the same general consumption pattern" (Solomon, 2013, 470). I couldn't help but tie this to my current job at the quilt store.

It has been really interesting working with the customers at the store as a clerk.  The quilt store has a very interesting customer base which is unique compared to many other stores.  It is unique due to the fact that most of the customers that come into the store are middle to upper-class retired women. They are the people that own $12,000.00 sewing machines and will spend $200.00 in fabric in a day. Some of the customers come in every week to either shop, look around the store, or come to classes. These ladies are the intense quilters.  They have made quilting their lifestyle because they spend most of their time and large amounts of money on the hobby.  Quilting is an expensive hobby and takes a lot of time, but in my opinion a relaxing, productive way to spend time.  The expensive sewing machines, fabric, and projects one can make are the building blocks behind this lifestyle. 

The quilt store where I work isn't just a place where the women get their fabric, it is also a place that builds community among these quilters.  In the store, we all work really hard to memorize customer names, remember the projects they are working on, or even asking about their families (if they share that information with us).  The sense of community only fuels the quilting obsession and makes customers feel like they are more at home in the store and will more than likely spend more in the store. It has been interesting working at the quilt store and advancing more toward one of the ladies that have a quilters lifestyle. :)