While there is an element of truth to that association, it is definitely not the stereotype. People of all ages quilt, from the young to people well into their 80s and 90s.

Quilting is a form of art, and it is always done with love; many quilters never do it commercially and only create pieces for family members.

This Saturday Berrima Patchwork will host its annual Airing of the Quilts, where around 50 quilts will be on display.

Mother-daughter team Sue and Tamsin Harvey own and run Berrima Patchwork, and said the event is a great day to spend in Berrima.

There will be quilts on display by local quilters as well as award-winning quilting teachers who will be teaching upcoming classes.

"There is something for everyone; there is a huge variety of quilts, from the traditional to the artistic, some made by hand and others by machine" Sue said.

"The fabric market caters for everything now, from Elvis to Jemima Puddleduck and everything in between," she said.

Sue said Australian quilt makers tend to use more colour and do art quilts, but the traditional style is still strong.

"You're not bound by tradition and you can make your own rules," she said.

Some quilts can take years to make, while others can be done in a weekend or a week.

According to the Quilting in America 2010 study, there are over 21 million quilters in America.

Tamsin said Australia is the biggest quilting country after America.

"Australians take out prizes regularly in the American competitions," Tamsin said.

"You don't realise how big the quilting industry is until you are a part of it," she said.

People come from Sydney, Wollongong, Canberra and the Central Coast for weekend classes at the shop and to buy fabrics and patterns from the store.

"Quilting has a great history, a big part of it is company. Ladies will quilt together, some weekly and some monthly, they have fun together and i'ts a creative process," Sue said.

What was a hobby for Sue and Tamsin became a business when Sue moved to the Southern Highlands to retire and Berrima Patchwork was for sale.

"Tam had just left working as a chef and I came here to retire, and we ended up buying the business, it's like a second home here and there's a community within the store," Sue said.

Sewing and quilting has always been in their family, and Sue describes herself as a 'fabric-a-holic'.

"It doesn't go off, it doesn't make you put on weight and it doesn't rust," Sue said.

"I had two grandmothers who were involved with sewing, one was a sewing teacher and the other made toys for department stores - sewing is in our blood."

The Annual Airing of the Quilts is on this Saturday, February 4, from 10am until 4pm at Berrima Patchwork, 21 Old Hume Highway, Berrima.