Reference page · United States
A careful, citable snapshot of the U.S. textile-craft community, from participation and place to craft-fair attendance and sharing creative work.
Last checked October 23, 2026 · Data on this page covers 2022, the most recent national survey available for these measures.
Quilting, sewing & textile craft statistics
What this page measures
There is no current U.S. government survey that separates quilting from every other needle craft. The strongest national data groups weaving, crocheting, quilting, needlework, knitting, and sewing together. We have kept that language intact throughout this page, so every figure can be used honestly and traced to its source.
At a glance
Key statistics
11.7%
of U.S. adults made textile crafts in 2022
The federal survey groups weaving, crocheting, quilting, needlework, knitting, and sewing in one measure. This is the clearest national participation figure available for the wider textile-craft community.
NEA, 2022 SPPA, Table 17, published August 202514.3%
of non-metro adults made textile crafts
That compares with 11.2% of metro adults in 2022, a 3.1 percentage-point difference. The measure includes quilting alongside other textile crafts.
NEA, 2022 SPPA, Table 21, published August 202516.0% → 11.7%
textile-craft participation from 2002 to 2022
The combined category measured 16.0% in 2002, 7.1% in 2008, 12.7% in 2012, and 11.7% in both 2017 and 2022. These figures show a long view, not a quilting-only trend.
NEA, 2022 SPPA, Table 17, published August 202517.1%
of U.S. adults attended a craft fair or visual arts festival
In 2022, 17.1% of adults attended a craft fair or visual arts festival, compared with 23.8% in 2017. The survey period includes pandemic-era behavior, so it should be read as context rather than a forecast.
NEA, 2022 SPPA, Table 5, published August 202520.4%
of women attended a craft fair or visual arts festival
For men, the comparable 2022 figure was 13.7%. This is attendance data, not a count of makers or buyers.
NEA, 2022 SPPA, Table 5, published August 202510.9 points
drop among ages 55–64 attending craft fairs
Attendance for adults ages 55–64 moved from 26.4% in 2017 to 15.5% in 2022. For ages 65–74, it moved from 29.1% to 16.9%, a 12.2-point change.
NEA, 2022 SPPA, Table 6, published August 202551.8%
of U.S. adults created or performed art
Across all art forms, 51.8% of U.S. adults reported creating or performing art in 2022. Textile crafts are one part of that wider creative landscape.
NEA, 2022 SPPA, executive summary, published August 202521%
of adults shared art online
In 2022, 21% of adults shared their arts creations or performances on the internet. The share was 29% among adults ages 18–24.
NEA, 2022 SPPA, Exhibit 13, published August 2025A useful distinction
What the figures say, and what they do not
These numbers are most useful for writers, researchers, quilt shops, guilds, event organizers, and makers who need a reliable point of reference. They describe broad textile-craft participation and arts attendance in the United States. They do not tell us how many people identify as quilters alone, how much any one person spends, or what will happen next year.
That restraint matters. A useful reference should make it easy to quote the evidence without stretching it beyond what the survey actually asked.
Methodology & sources
How these statistics were chosen
All figures above come from the National Endowment for the Arts’ 2022 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, conducted with the U.S. Census Bureau. The full report was published in August 2025. We selected measures that directly name the combined textile-craft category or provide clearly labelled context on arts making and craft-fair attendance.
- National Endowment for the Arts, Arts Participation in 2022: A Technical Summary Report, August 2025. Tables 5, 6, 17, and 21; Exhibit 13.
- National Endowment for the Arts, “New Data Reveal How Adults Participated in the Arts During COVID-19,” October 18, 2023.
Cite this page
Chrystine Quilts. “Quilting, Sewing & Textile Craft Statistics in the U.S.” Updated October 23, 2026. https://chrystinequilts.com/quilt-industry-statistics
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