In 2006, money spent on quilting supplies increased 45.4 percent. That year, quilters spent $3.3 billion in the United States alone. Statistics further show that the average quilter spent just over $2,300 for supplies in 2006.

Some will argue that times have changed since 2006. It's true. Times have changed and those changes make this a great time to start a quilting business of your own.

For instance, many large businesses and corporations are downsizing. Quilters can turn their hobby into money if they find themselves without a "regular" job. Maybe you could use your quilting skills or knowledge to earn extra money on a part time basis. In times like these, every little bit of money you can earn helps!

But in addition to all those great reasons, there's still a bigger reason that this is a great time to start a quilting business.

Statistics show that quilters would prefer to buy supplies from retail stores and quilt shows, but the number of quilters who shop for supplies and services online has grown. In 2003, only 17 percent of quilters said they bought more than half their supplies online or through mail order. Just three years later, that percentage had jumped to 20 percent.

The 2006 survey shows statistics for quilters who bought more than half their supplies online. It doesn't even touch on how many quilters bought less than half their supplies via the world wide web. I'm sure that number is huge!

More quilters report having high speed internet access. In 2006, 73 percent of quilters surveyed had access to high speed internet - which makes shopping online safer. That percentage was 12 percent higher than in 2003.

Here's another good reason to start a quilting business online. As more and more quilters reach retirement age, spending more time at home and often moving to rural communities where there are no quilting shops, online opportunities will continue to grow.

Quilting is not solely an American hobby. Quilting is spreading throughout the entire world. It wasn't too many years back that Japan and Australia hosted their very first quilting shows. The shows have grown. Now we see quilt shows in many Scandinavian, Eurpoean and Asian countries.

To sum it up: quilting supplies and services offered online reach much farther than the United State's slumping economy affects. There's no need to let a nation's economic slump create a slump for you or your dream business.

Whether you want to offer a hand or machine quilting service, sell supplies or start a remnant shop on your favorite online auction site, there's no time like the present to start your own quilting business.

Internet businesses give quilters an opportunity to be business owners without the expense of renting office or retail space. An internet business is just as real and viable as a brick and mortar location - each setting has its own benefits. An internet business will allow the quilter time to grow his or her business without feeling the pressure to "sink or swim" in a storefront location.

If your dream is to start a quilting business, don't wait another day. That doesn't mean you should march in and tell your boss you're through tomorrow, but you should start investigating your quilting business options. The online market is not saturated, and the sooner you get in and find your niche, the sooner your own quilting business will be profitable!