Actually, there is a group on this board who is doing a cyber-sew-along of an applique quilt (Affairs of the Heart) and many people in the group are doing needle turn. Me, I am machining it, lol, tried needle turn when I lived in Hawaii and it was too hard to enjoy for me. I personally don't think any aspect of quilting is a dying art, there are just too many options (a good thing) and people choose what works best for them.