Hmmmm...maybe a career change for me? Just kidding! Glad that you understand what I was trying to explain.

Sandy

You might find this interesting if you didn't see the links in another thread on this forum:

http://www.collectionsaustralia.net/...6aabd33774da43

http://www.collectionsaustralia.net/nqr/wendy.php

I notice Pakistan and Bangladesh are also countries of origin for a lot of fabric I see in the shops these days. This worries me a bit as I know from my needlepoint and cross stitch days that a lot of the dyeing chemicals and processes used with fibres are banned in western countries (and then there's the sweatshop factor). We had a large manufacturer of needlepoint canvases here in Australia but they were forced to closed down due to environmental concerns.

Hopefully the mfgrs. are good stewards of the environment in those countries. I know that a few of the Batik producers follow environmentally safe practices in the production of their goods.

Sandy

I wouldn't say quilting is particularly new in Scotland, but it's not the biggest creative art. Traditionally Scots have always relied on 'cottage industries', but these were usually associated with the surfeit of wool, particularly in the Highlands and Islands, famous for wool yarn and of course, tweed.

Re the price of fabric, it's also supply and demand. There's only around 15-20 quilt shops in the entire country (population of just over 5 million), so our quilt shops can't command the bulk orders that lead to the massive discounts you gals enjoy. Our fabric is also more expensive than England :( - currently £14/$23 a metre for flannel....

I have seen quilts made in China and they are very intricate and beautiful. Probably not for use on beds, but more for wall hangings.

Don't believe they teach quilting although it would certainly be conducive to the subject of math with the different angles degrees. Has helped my little niece with her math and they are amazed when she says she used a ruler to cut a certain angle degree. One of her teachers wanted her to bring her ruler to school. Her mother explained that because of the cost of the ruler she didn't want it to become lost at the school. She sent the teacher an email with some photos of the ruler. her mother told the teacher where she could purchase the ruler.

Thank you Tessagin for explain it, I misunderstood then. I see you're fron Corpus TX, My father, a lot of years ago, in the fifties, worked as captain in Oil Tanker ships for an US company in Corpus before I was born!.