I started sewing in the 1970's when we sewed for the family as it was all we could afford and quilts were made out of the scraps, we had some wonderful fabric store around then too plus all sores sold fabric including Penny's, Wards, Sears, Ben Franklin and others then quilting became very popular and turned into a big money thing with designer fabrics and quilt stores opened to sell these designer fabrics and they were not supplied to the box stores so they eventually quit selling fabric and today at least around here Joanns is the only one left and oh yes WalMart and quilting like everything else has really changed, it is a very big money business now. years ago hobbies were for stay at home moms now they are the people that cannot afford to sew. The world has really changed I do not even go to quilt shows anymore as I refuse to pay 5 or 10 dollars to see what a computer can do.