Quilters and technology

I'll tell you all about the last day of the retreat tomorrow.  Here's something that comes up from time to time. Comments from people that older quilters are NOT as tech savvy as some of the younger generations. It's possible this perception is more pronounced if you look at the modern quilters and how the modern quilters follow Instagram and whatever the other latest apps are.  Did you know that MORE than 50% of the attendees at QuiltCon 2017 were OVER 55??   Yep - that is NOT a typo!!!!

So let me give you some stats from our retreat.  Here we are  - a typical group of quilters.  There were 8 of us at the retreat. As you can see - there is an age range of almost 30 years from the youngest to the oldest. We come from a variety of different backgrounds and some of us are working and some are not.  BTW - that's ME in the bright red shirt!

A typical group of quilters at a retreat

BUT  I noticed something about the retreat that I've seen change over the years.  Do you know how much technology those EIGHT quilters brought????  Let me tell you................

There were FOUR laptops, SIX tablets, and NINE smart phones.  There could have been more. 

Hello?  Can you hear me?

And ALL of those quilters were pretty darn savvy about their technology.  So what did we do with that technology at the retreat?

• Someone sold a house and used Docu-Sign to sign the papers
• E-books and audio books were loaded on most tablets or cell phones
• Directions and travel times were researched
• Word definitions were discovered
• E-mails were read and before the day was out, the Missouri Star daily deal was purchased by several. I was SHOCKED that some of them read their e-mails before coming down in the morning.
• Someone signed up for a magazine subscription 
• Pinterest was researched
• Facebook posts were posted
• Pictures were taken
• Instagrams messages were posted
• People sent texts and used Messenger
• Games were played
• Prior to coming to the retreat, someone had very cleverly used photo transfer for one of their quilts (can't share yet)
• Someone was trying to teach their daughter (in California) how to thread their sewing machine using videos
• Someone downloaded EQ7 and got amazing support on the phone (as usual in the case of EQ7)
• People talked on the phone
• Alarms were set (OK - that was probably just me!)
• The weather was checked
• Someone read an online magazine
• Quilt shop hours were researched
• People had Spotify accounts
• Several had the latest FitBit technology and were friending each other
• Several used their phones as their GPS
• And let's not forget the high-tech, computerized sewing machines that we all had!
• Someone just bought a new car with a HIGHLY sophisticated cruise control technology that she knew how to program!

I'm sure there were many more instances where technology was used over the course of the weekend. I have to say that I was probably the person who used technology the least. I did a couple of blog posts, but I had an actual book to read and real magazines. I checked e-mail a couple of times. I took my almost 20-year-old sewing machine (was top of the line at the time and still sews great). I think I got one text and one phone call the entire time!  I posted maybe three times on Facebook and checked my e-mail from time to time. While I like technology, I don't like it to dictate my life.  Besides, how often do I get to sew and that's what I did. 

I'll be sharing some of the projects that were done including my own over the next week.  

It was such a wonderful time. For several of the attendees, the only time we get to see each other is at a retreat.  That makes the retreats all the more special. Should you ever get the chance to attend, I would highly recommend it. 

Anyway - hopefully for those who doubt that older quilters have no clue how to use technology, guess again!  I think that some of the above could put the younger quilters to shame!  

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!

Leave a comment - what is your favorite piece of technology, your favorite use in the quilting world and outside the quilting world!