Quilting since last summer, 10-year-old Mercades has handcrafted a personalized Halloween bag, hanging chalkboard, a small throw quilt and a Christmas stocking.

“I love the fabrics,” a smiling Mercades said.

At a recent youth quilting workshop, Mercades joined two other preteens at the Cortez Quilt Co. to craft a travel pillow, which featured a pocket and a handle. Mercades planned to use the pillow on a summer vacation to Florida later this year.

“Where ready to hire Mercades, except we have labor laws,” joked quilting instructor Aimee King. “She knows her way around the shop.”

Cortez Quilt Co. owner Karen Childress said her favorite aspect of the youth class was watching the students develop – not their needlework skills per se; but their social interactions.

“When they first get here they’re usually pretty timid,” Childress said. “Within an hour, they’re all talking and laughing.”

Once upon a time, quilting customarily involved sewing multiple fragments of material together. That patchwork approach was necessary, for example, to create bedding material. Today, quilters hunt for vibrant materials, complementary threads and complex patterns.

“It’s less patchwork and more art,” said Childress. “People still use them on their beds, but more and more people are hanging them on their walls.”

The process of sewing two or more layers of cotton fabric together to make a thicker padded material, quilting is on the rise. Childress attributed the increased interest to emerging Baby Boomers.

“Our perfect customer is the woman that’s recently retired with time on her hands and a little bit of disposable income,” said Childress.

Childress also offers adult courses. She and her customers also engage the community through various outreach and fundraising programs.

“We recently brought in more than $1,000 for a quilt that we made to benefit Southwest Memorial Hospital,” she said.

According to Childress, quilting poses some hazards, noting that she has pricked her fingers with sewing needles on multiple occasions.

“Our biggest concern is bleeding on the beautiful fabric,” Childress joked.

Asked to describe the greatest misconception about the craft, Childress was quick to respond: “It’s not just for grandmothers anymore. There are a lot of young, working women starting to quilt now.”

For Childress, quilting helps her sanity, stating that the hobby was creative and relaxing and when finished, she had something to show for her time.

“I can get lost at my sewing machine,” Childress said. “It also helps to keep my mind focused.”

Quilting since 1980, customer Maggie Lemons said the finished product was her favorite aspect.

“There’s a since of pride when you finish,” Lemons said, holding a new pattern and bundle of fabrics.

Watching Mercades and the other young quilters during their instructional workshop, Lemons said it was thrilling to know that a new generation was taking up the craft.

“Just stick with it,” Lemons advised the girls.

For beginners, basic quilting items include fabrics and padding, cutting mat and rotary cutter, acrylic ruler, sewing machine along with an iron, scissors, needles and pins.

“It’s not a big investment to get started in quilting,” Childress said.

Some elementary math skills are also helpful.

“You need to know how to measure – an inch, a half-inch and quarter-inch,” Childress added. “Precision in measuring is important.”

Mercades explained that her interest in quilting resulted after watching her mother sew. She envisions being able to hone her skills in order to raise money to attend college.

“It’s fun,” Mercades said, “and I get to learn new things.”