This question is very timely as I have been reassessing my interest in quilting. I started quilting about 40 years ago. I liked quilting because when I sewed two pieces of fabric together, they stayed sewn until I got back to it -- which may be the next day, next month or next year. I got rid of all my other hobbies, mostly embroidery and needlepoint, because it was hard to remember where I left off, but with quilting it was easy to pick it back up. Because of my lack of free time, by the time I made everyone in my family a quilt, they had begun to wear out and I had to start over again. So I felt that I was doing something useful with my time. Then I retired. Now I am all caught up on replacement quilts and I am struggling to find homes for the ones I have made from my stash. But I don't know what I would do to replace quilting.
But I really enjoy making purses, tote bags and small wallets. I may change my hobby to bag making, but at the end of day how many bags can you make? Maybe then my family will need more quilts.