I think its kind of like baking - we used to bake out of necessity. Now we bake things for the enjoyment of it - it's relaxing - its become a hobby. Same with quilting. It used to be something we had to do (even if we made it enjoyable by quilting with friends, ie, quilting bees) because we needed blankets. Int he 1800's every respectable bride needed something like 7 quilts in her dowry. Now, we do it for relaxation, to enjoy the creative process. And it has become more enjoyable to do with all the modern tools (rotary cutters, fancy rulers) and available fabrics (instead of always recycling worn out clothes). That's what I think.