I think the internet has been a HUGE factor in the growth of quilting. Not only do we have a lot more available to us in terms of supplies, but there are so many classes, tutorials, blogs, etc. that are easily accessible and free! Imagine this scenario:

It's 1970. You are in your 20's. You own a quilt made by your grandmother and are somewhat intrigued by it, but you don't have any quilting relatives. So you go to a guild meeting. There is a mix of kind, generous quilters, and a few of the quilt police variety. The quilt police tell you you HAVE to use these colors, and those fabrics, and you HAVE to stitch it by hand, otherwise it's not a REAL quilt. Maybe you don't really care for those patterns or colors they tell you to use. Maybe you don't have the time to hand-quilt. Maybe your feathers get ruffled by being told you have to do things a certain way, but no one ever tells you why. You lose interest and move on to a different hobby.

Compare that to today, where you can find OODLES of information, free tutorials, patterns, inspiration and ideas, and if you don't care for one style of quilt, it is quite easy to find other styles, other techniques, and especially other quilters like you. It's easy to move on from the quilt police.