I do think that technology has changed the world of quilting--from the rotary cutter to long arm quilting, to our use of this QB, blogs, Pinterest, ability to get free patterns via the internet, etc. I love long arming but view the entire process as quilting. I see the piecing portion of quilt making as the chance to "play" with color to create something wonderful and unique, even if the block design is a traditional one. I view the quilting process as chance to "dress" and enhance the quilt top with texture.
One thing that I see changing the quilting aspect in the 2 year since I purchased my LA is the sales boom in the sit-down, mid-arm machines.