This is a great moment to reflect... I started quilting after Momma passed, unfortunately... It really couldn't be helped. She and Daddy had moved to where my younger sister settled when she was in her late 60s and went ASAP to the local fabric store, which happened to be a quilt shop.. She got hooked right then after sewing for herself and my three sisters (and even Daddy occasionally!)... But I was teaching, our kids were in full swing late elementary and middle school. So for all those years I simply did not have time... We often talked about the quilting. Momma said "You'll love it when you can..." A friend who was in virtually the same situation and I began to talk one day about it. Our kids had all gone off to college and we took a quilting class from a woman who quilts exclusively by hand... cuts out the "old" way... piece by piece. She and I loved that process because we both love hand work... but then we stumbled across a wonderful LQS in OKC (we'd only been in the big box fabric stores until then...) where they offered a beginning quilting class. We were hooked... Just yesterday, she and I and another quilting friend spent the day in my dining room all working on something....
But this still doesn't answer the question... I quilt because it is creative... I love creating something... I'm not a designer... and not particularly good at choosing fabrics... but I know how to get help. And so far, even though none of my quilts are perfect (not by a LONG shot!), every one has been loved and cherished... I simply love every step of the process! Even going to garage sales to find 100% cotton shirts and other fabric...
Well, it's been fun to reflect... Even though there are quilt police out there... I think they really are few and far between... It just seems to be that quilters are special people...