My mother! I never could sew..still can't. But Mother could sew anything..curtains, clothes, whatever. She collected fabric and thread..tons of it. When she went to the Home with Alz I had all that to deal with. In the mass was an unfinished quilt..one of those 3-D diamond box things. I couldn't figure out how to put it together..a challenge!!!
That was only 8 years ago but about 50 quilts ago. I still haven't finished that first quilt. Now I have a 12x13 studio filled with the remains of her "stuff" and tons of my own.
I learn everything I know from books and mags..and a LOT OF IT from right here on this forum.
It's a wonderful journey.
Bon
:)

Hi Sharon. My grandma and I were best buddies. I used to go to her "Sewing Bee" with her at the local church. I played under the quilting frame on the floor while the women stitched and laughed and chatted. My grandma loved it! She tried to show me how to hand stitch..but I couldn't manipulate the needle in her rocking motion.
I made my first quilt in 1974 for ex's birthday. It was a simple 9 patch that I tied..and I embroidered the center patch with dates.
My mother is also a quilter...completely hand stitched. She is 84 and quilts using a small hoop frame. She doesn't rock her needle, she uses the "punch and grab" method..is that a technical term? lol
I never got the hang of hand stitching, so do it all by machine...but don't mind hand hemming. Since joining this forum, I've seen a few quilt types I'm not familiar with, and am going to check those out.
Lynn

Hi - I'm a Sharon too! I enjoyed reading your post - you've been to Sisters. I'm envious! My mother never quilted, but she was a Home Ec teacher before she had kids, and sewing was her talent. I became the teacher's helper in 7th grade Home Ec. because while the class was making an apron, I was making alot of my own clothes. There was a quilter somewhere in my past, though, as I have a very nice Ocean Waves quilt, and a well-made Drunkard's Path quilt both handed down to me, but no one seems to know who in my mother's family made them. Document your quilts! I progressed from sewing curtains, kids clothes, daughter's wedding dress, and bridesmaid dresses, men's slacks to a simple one-patch scrap quilt which I tied, using a blue sheet for the backing. (I thought that would use up alot of the scraps I had from the beforementioned sewing - who knew!) Then I started checking out the Quilters Newsletter magazines from the library - this was in the 70's - fascinated by the quilts in them. It wasn't until the early '90's that I really got down to serious quilting though. A friend at work started quilting, another friend at work told me about the local Guild and my hobby took off. I love it! I mostly sew traditional quilts, love the scrappy look, and take inspiration from the fabric, other quilts I see, the scraps I have. I mostly hand-quilt, but am doing more and more machine-quilting with straight, diagonal lines on the smaller projects. (This post is very much on-topic, IMHO).

Good idea Sharon. Both my grandmother's quilted as did my great-grandmother (mom's grandmother), mom didn't quilt, but she does sew. All my life I have decided I wanted to try something and just taught myself to do it, (that would explain the great variety of books and patterns I have collected over the past 45 years), never thought I wouldn't be able to. I started making some of my clothes in 7th grade and have just kept sewing since then. When I found out I was pregnant with #1, of course I had to make all the curtains, bumper pads, etc. The quilt was just a simple tied 1 patch, but I enjoyed it, so just kept going. From time to time I still take breaks and do something else (knit, crochet, beading ...) but always seem to come back to my sewing.

beverly

Welcome Sharon/northbound!

My maternal grandmother in Kentucky made quilts and I have two of hers. But she lived too far away to teach me, but I must have received her genes. My other grandmother and my mom both sewed and my mom made lots of clothes for my two sisters and me. I took my first sewing course in eighth grade and from then on made most of my clothes myself.

I began a quilt for DS#2 when he was a baby, but never finished it. Separation and divorce took my attention for a couple of years, then one weekend I went to the NC mountains by myself and wandered into the Folk Art Center outside of Asheville. They always have a large display of hanging quilts all over the interior. One "Sunny Windows" quilt caught my eye and when I returned home I decided to make the attic windows quilt with yellow in the "hearth" center for myself - and that was it! I don't know how many quilts I have made, stopped counting years ago when I hit 25 baby quilts. Now I feel really out of sorts if I don't get in some major quilting/sewing time each week.

As someone once said, "so little time, so many quilts!"
Teresa

I have a friend that made beautiful quilts. She had offered to help me make a skirt and vest which turned out very nice. With that success behind me, (I had never sewed before) I asked her to teach me how to quilt. This was 1976. I made two dresden plate quilts for my sons. Never did make one for my daughter, which everyone thought odd, including me. But I had to go to work full time and I just couldn't manage enough free time for a quilt for my daughter. Only one of my sons still has his quilt. Once I stopped working, I immediately started quilting again. I had to take classes because so much had changed and improved since the 1970's. I am still learning with every project I do. I have tried to interest my one and only daughter to quilt, but she has no interest at all in sewing. My Mom sewed some of our clothes, but that was about it, she was better at making lamps, etc than sewing. Oh, yes! Once I got back into quilting, I made several quilts for my daughter, and sons. This time, they are keeping everything I make for them. :)

Nellie

I can recall sitting under a quilt while my grandmother and several of her friends quilted away. She showed me how back then, but I was very small and she passed away while I was in my teens. I still miss her on a regular basis. Anyway, about 4 years ago my mother and I decided it would be nice if we made a quilt for each of my 3 children as an hierloom sort of thing. Little did I know how this would take over my soul.

Like Sharon I still work full time, but I have every intention of retiring ASAP and hosting retreats at 'The Cape'. Dreams? Maybe. But they keep me going.

Faye

I remember as a small girl sleeping under a GFG that my great gramma made and brought from the "old country" and I loved that quilt to rags. So when I got older I thought I'd make one for my son. I started with simple squares, and it took off from there. My mother had taught me to sew clothes, but she never quilted. My grandmother couldn't thread a needle without help! So this love goes back to Great Graamma Kate. I still have not made a GFG, but there is plenty of time.....

Michele

I sewed clothes since grade school - learned from the neighbor ladies. My mom could sew but didn't. I got started quilting by watching Simply Quilts. Would turn it on while getting ready for work. Actually I turned on a show about sewing clothes that was on before Simply Quilts and was too lazy to change the station. I thought it was nuts to cut up cloth and sew it together again to make a blanket. Until I saw a program about Stack-n-Whack. I fell in love with the graphics.

So was my first quilt a stack-n-whack? No, it was curtain for our RV. Silly me I did it by 'paper piecing' I thought. I copied a stained glass panel pattern and traced it onto several pieces of dress pattern tissue. I cut out each sun ray separately with seam allowance and then I sew them together using the 'paper piecing method' as I mis-understood it. Did free-motion embroidery on the sun rays and re-motion quilting. Didn't realize until much late that I had done it wrong. Then I did several small S-n-W samples and made two small curtains for the bed windows in the RV above the cab. Next 5 S-n-W twins for the grands and so on & so on.

That's how I got started.

{{!gwi}}

Both of my grandmothers quilted. Neither of them lived anywhere near me, but I have always been completely fascinated by family history, including hobbies of my relatives. I started my first quilt about 15 years ago, and it took me years to finish. After that I took a break, but when I came back to it I was pretty prolific with lap and baby quilts. It makes me feel closer to my family roots, and my quilting is very much appreciated by some of my siblings and in laws.
I have a lot of projects planned, I'm working on a quilt for each great niece of mine, and also one for the spare bedroom. I want to do three wall hangings. I'm currently off work, but will go back in about a month, so I'm trying to do as much as possible before I return.
I just love creating quilts. It feels very nurturing to be able to present them to my daughter, and my great nieces for them to be used. They appreciate them so much, so it is a very rewarding activity for me. Also, the focus that I use for quilting blocks everything else out and is very therapeutic.
I do wish I would have had the opportunity to spend time with my grandmas quilting.

I started sewing in grade school. I made my own clothes. As I got older I made clothes for my children and even did the wedding gowns for my oldest daughter and DIL. My oldest daughter got interested in quilting and asked for an EQ for her birthday. To my knowledge she still hasn't ever done any quilting but I started to look at books and quilting supplies and got hooked on it. I guess that no age is too late to learn something new. I am enjoying the challenges (most of the time). I have a long way to go before I consider myself a really good quilter. Colleen

You really want to know? I was suffering from depression. watching too much TV and not moving around very much. I happened to see E Burns and enjoyed her antics. I had never considered making a quilt because knew I knew nerve damage in my fingers would not allow me to hold a needle for very ong. I was entranced by her quick methods and never knew there were long, tedious ones which I later discovered were scissor cutting.

Then I had an EKG that said I had a heart problem. My Dr. said "get up and do something." first I walked several miles a day..then began serious knee problems.

Along the way I decided if Eleanor could do this, I could too. In the newspaper I found an ad where a woman was selling all her quilting supplies. I went, and bought, and decided to start with what I had, which was left over from pajamas and blouses, shirts, etc. I made 9 patch blocks and reeled them off. I made about 4 quilts using sheets on the back. Worked well, changed my focus and I began to rise out of the depression. Drugs did not work for me, but sewing, something I had done for years, was fun again. I was on my way to orecovery. this was 2000-2001. I have taken breaks, but have stayed with this as wonderful hobby...and give away a lot ofmy quilts. Family, then friends and the Battered Women's shelter get most of them. I have sold a few, but I don't do them for money. I do it for the love of fabrics and creating something warm and cozy.

That's my story. No one to guide me, just dear Eleanor. I love that woman. My PBS station no longer carries her program. I really miss her.

I really got serious about quilting after I retired just because I was bored to death. My real inspiration came from my mother's best friend that quilted most of her life and she gave me one of her beauties for a wedding gift many years ago. My mother sewed clothes and did a beautiful job but she didn't quilt and I never got the hang of clothing. My grandmother made some quilts but she was awful at it. LOL! But her quilts were still dear and precious in spite of it. What really got me hooked was discovering quilt shops and all that eye candy.

Kay

My mom quilted for years, but she bought tops already made from my aunt. Many of my aunts sewed and hand quilted but I am the only one of the kids that picked it up. My mother can sew just about anything. I can't. I thought about getting a new sewing maching but figure that if I did I couldn't blame the bad sewing on the fact that my sewing machine hates me.

when I was pregnant with my #1DS I was bored out of my mind. I had a lot of problems so couldn't get around a lot. I visited with my mom a lot. She had simply quilts on one day and I said "Hey that looks like fun". So she brought out her books and I picked a pattern. I very stupidly chose a Carpenters Wheel (we didn't use half square triangles then). Boy did I screw that one up. Making a quilt wasn't so much fun anymore. So I quit and gave it all to my mom.

I started quilting again after my son was born when my mom gave me that Carpenters Wheel back finished. It was beautiful just like I knew those colors would be. She hand quilted the whole thing. I knew that if she could take the disaster that I gave to her and hide all those puckers and unsquare squares by quilting it, then I could do it.

Now, I always have about 10 projects going. I can't do just one. I see fabric I fall in love with and buy enough to make a quilt. Usually by the time I finish it I know who it belongs to and they get it as a gift for one holiday or another. I have never kept one, though I am working on one I plan to keep for myself.

Lynette

When my oldest DD was a baby we lived in the country and across the road lived an old woman who befriended me at the mailbox. I watched her piece by hand and I loved it. But I never got to try it until I had youngest DD. Then it was watching Eleanor Burns. I have learned almost all I know from her program,,,and I love her because most of her things can be made by watching and you dont have to buy special tools unless you want to. (as opposed to Kay Wood for example where you need her rulers to make her stuff).I am ever greatful to Eleanor!!!!

A friend asked me to take a class with her but halfway thru I dropped out! At that time I was too busy with family - carpooling, sports, piano, dance, you know! That same friend started a small quilting group and after my girls were older and not as time consuming I started going to their get togethers and they taught me a lot of techniques. I'm still getting together with that group - since 1991, but since then I've also taken classes and joined the Quilt Guild. I do feel like it's a creative outlet for me who could never paint, draw or do other artistic things and is also therapy for those "times" in our lives. And I LOVE the quilts - any quilt almost, the texture, the feel, the look. LOL

A maternal great-grandmother, paternal grandmother, and three aunts on both sides of my family were great needlewomen, though I only know for sure that two of the aunts made quilts. My mother also pieced a double bed sized GFG top by hand before her marriage, then gave it to me to quilt by hand and finish many years later.

I started sewing some of my own clothes in high school, but made my first quilt when in college. The friend who taught me the pattern called it "Fisherman's Reel," but I have seen it called "Churn Dash" on the Internet. It was this quilt that taught me how enjoyable it was to pick out the fabrics for piecing quilt tops.

I've been totally 'quilting self-taught'. Mom could sew clothes and taught me that when I was about 8yo. Quilting started when I was 8th or 9th grade I guess when I had a set of sheets with rainbows from top to bottom. I wanted the matching comfortor but Mom wouldn't spend the money on it! Instead she let me buy the fabrics. It was the most basic of a quilt you could get; it was long strips of rainbow colors from top edge to bottom. Easy!

I didn't do my next quilt until home on summers from college. That was a Grandmother's flower garden that I saw in a magazine. Nobody around to tell me it was a tough pattern! All template cut and machine pieced, tied with yarn. Still have that thing!

After that Eleanor Burns led me down the path of strip piecing and chain piecing! I can chain piece any quilt pattern now! I've made tons of quilts and am now doing some on commission from time to time. Not for profit, but for the excuse to quilt (like I really need an excuse!). There's no turning back for me now; I get grumpy too if I don't get 'my time'! It's my escape from young kids, homeschooling, housekeeping, DH & step-daughter!

Well to be perfectly honest, my favorite TV show growing up was Little House on the Prairie. I loved seeing the quilts on Laura and MaryÂs bed when Ma and Pa would kiss them goodnight. And when I was really young I used to stare at the illustrations of children in their beds in my old Mother Goose book. I loved quilts. And I always wanted one.

My mother never sewed and I didnÂt have any grandmothers. I envy those of you who played under quilting frames. I grew up in the city. There wasnÂt any "country" in my environment.

IÂd never sewn until I was married with a small baby. My ex bought me an old plastic turquoise colored sewing machine at a garage sale back in the late 80s. I didnÂt even know what a bobbin was or how to wind it. But I persevered. I started making baby clothes. I figured if I messed up, I wasnÂt wasting very much fabric. Then like so many of us I discovered Eleanor Burns! I loved her laid back way of thinking. And I started quilting. Well I should say I started making a lot of tops. I took out every book in the library and got a lot of quilt magazines. I wanted to learn as much as I could. Hence my name sew_self-taught. I stopped sewing when I had a fulltime job, but IÂm back at it now and IÂm having so much fun. I love this forum and I am learning so much from all of you. I thank you every day!

glassquilt  That RV curtain is amazing!!

Nina

Wonderful stories here, and a lot of love going around for Eleanor Burns! I just wanted to comment on glassquilt's really neat curtain. I LOVE IT! What a creative idea for your RV!

mamabear...your post had the tears running down my cheek. Don't you just wonder what Eleanor would feel if she dropped in here and read what a positive impact she's had on your life.

I started sewing in 4-H as a young girl. When I was in high school I wanted a new dress for a dance. So I bought fabric and pattern and with some help from my mother made many dresses in high school. As a young mother I made all of my clothes, for my DD and some for DS as well. By the time my 3rd child DS number two was born I was just too busy to sew. And in the early 70's fabric was getting more expensive, and it was cheaper to purchase clothes then to make them. I did not sew again until my parents 25th wedding anniversary. My sister and I were brainstorming about a special gift and I said how about a special quilt. (Neither of us had ever made one!) We handed out squares to everyone in the family and told them to embroidery something that's unique to them and stitch their name on the block. That is how I started quilting. It turned out to be a very special quilt and my parents loved it. For their 50th Anniversary we made another one!! Didn't do any more until 5 years ago I saw a counted cross stitch book with quilt squares. I did an alphabet quilt from those blocks and I have been quilting ever since. My specialty is wall hangings, however recently have been doing more quilts.

My best friend's mother called up my mom and asked if she wanted to take a quilting class with her. I went along for the ride, and ended up catching the bug.

Later on, I found out that my grandmother's cousin, who she lived with from about 3-15, quilted/knitted/crocheted excessively. I have one of her quilts, and more than a few potholders/doilies she crocheted. I guess I got her genes!

My mother is more of a garmet sewer, but she does quilt. One of my grandmothers hated to sew (but did embrodier!), and the other was an excellent seamstress who made my mother's wedding dress.

~ Kit

MammaBear -- what a wonderful story! Isn't it amazing what doing something creative and simple can do for your spirits?

I always liked quilts and "country" things, yet found myself surrounded by "city" stuff. Visiting an Aunt who I might see every 10 years, she had made a couple quilts which really intrigued me at the time and I asked her about how she made them. But then I put the idea aside.

My DH and I got a "bed in a bag" comforter. When we got home and took it out of the back, I was like ICK regarding the cheap, plasticy, scratcy fabric.

I had mentioned I wanted a sewing machine and one day, DH, who LOVES to shop came home from Costco with a sewing machine for me. It sat on my shelf in it's box for about 6 months.

Then one day it just occurred to me -- I wanted to make a quilt to replace that cheap/tacky/hideous "comforter" thing.

DH was like "You're going to make WHAT????"

But I thought -- how hard could it be? So you sew some fabric together.... Then I started surfing the internet for instrucitons and found this site.

Once I got going I could not stop and my tastes began expanding as I learned all the beautiful things you can make.

DH keeps saying -- when will this phase pass??? MWA-HA-HA NEVER!!! (EVIL LAUGH...)

My mom did not sew she was an only child and her mother dieds when she was 12 and her dad when she was 16. My dad's side on the other hand had 13 brothers and sisters. My grandmother did all the crafts, tatting, crocheting and knitting and hand quilting. I have always been into some kind of craft over the years. And its always nagged me that I did not take sewing classes when I was little like my mom wanted me too. So when I became an empty nester 3 yrs ago I needed something for just me.. I got Winston someone else to care for, then a class came up for piecing a rail fence. I was hooked from there and have not looked back. As Kay says its the eye candy in those evil stores, I see and have to get it so I can plan by next project. I know my mom and grandmother would be proud I have over 150 cousins and very few quilt. So its in the genes I think.

Nanciii

Great thread, northbound! Wonderful stories. I love reading them.

I learned to sew in jr. high home ec class, but nothing major. Not sure I made anything, really. About 12 years ago, I bought a sewing machine, made a dress for myself, then pretty much put away the machine for a decade.

About 18 months ago, decided to make a 'taggie' blanket, made a couple and enjoyed it. About a year ago, had a baby and quit my job. DH has a hobby he enjoys very much and I mentioned that I'd never really had a hobby -- no time (raising two kids) and no money (raising two kids). He asked if there was a hobby I'd like to start.

I thought about it, figured I'd need something I could do at home, preferably using equipment we already had (in case I didn't like it and wanted to try something else), and it had to be something that I could stop and start at a moment's notice, because the baby wouldn't necessarily be accommodating to my schedule! I figured quilting would be fun and I was right!

Kelly (Nebraska)

Hey Northbound---This is a great thread you started! Being from Oregon, I get over to Sisters about twice a year. We go through on our way to Montana where DS and family lives and at least one other time. I have been to the outdoor quilt show twice and want to go again. It's so much fun.
Reading through this, I think grandmas are a great influence, as mine was. I have two of her quilts that I cherish. I make a big deal out of making and giving quilts to my Montana granddaughters when they graduate from HS. Just now making the 4th quilt for the 4th granddaughter to graduate this June. My Mom didn't really have time to sew, but when she did she was great. She never saw a pattern she liked or could follow. She was best at tearing down an existing garment and resewing in a fashionable style to fit. Not me---must have the pattern. In quilting though, I tend to go off on my own. Sometimes good, sometimes really, really bad.
Now, I'm happy to say, one of my daughters has taken up quilting and loves it. Carrying on the genes----Yes!!!
Beebonnet

I didn't start to quilt until after I had my first baby and became a stay at home mom. There was a small shopping center nearby that had a supermarket, a bank , a drug store, and a Singer sewing machine store. Well one day the Singer store had a sign in the window: "Quilting Classes" I signed up just for something to do and the rest is history.

I am in the process of learning.
No one in my family was a quilter or did much sewing. My mom could sew a little and made tied sheet quilts that were wonderful. I did some sewing as a teen and quite a bit as a young mother. I never did have a good sewing machine. I haven't done much sewing in the last 25-30 years.
One day last fall I just decided I wanted to start sewing again.....so here I am!

About 15 years ago I went to a country auction and as there was no where to sit and the grass was wet I bought an old trunk to sit on....as I'd bought it I had to lug it home, where my husband had to pry it open - inside was a stack of indigo and white 9 patch blocks...but, not enough to make a whole quilt. So, I stuck them somewhere around here and, whenever I'd come upon them I'd think "surely there is something I can do with these".... finally, I took them to the quilt shop, and the owner helped me pick some repro fabrics that 'went with' the 9 patch.... I made blocks of these fabrics, added a border, and Ta Da....my first quilt was born. I've never been a sewer before this, although my grandmother was very creative...she'd go to a big city with my grandfather, when he went on business,visit the ladies shops...do drawings of the latest fashions and then go home and make them....and, she made me wonderful outfits, including knitting matching sweaters to go with them, and a complete wardrobe for each Christmas doll I got...even little hats.....but, she was not a quilter...made one and didn't like it! I like to think I got my 'creative' genes from her....just not a quilting one. That one is all mine!

As far as I know, none of my ancestors quilted. Too busy just surviving in eastern Europe. But from a very early age, I was interested in repeated geometric patterns. I like beautiful textiles. Quilting combines these interests.

I didn't start quilting until after a car accident made it very difficult and painful to walk. It was three years before it "felt good" to walk again. (Don't worry, I'm just fine now.) Only when I could no longer move around freely did I realize that, other than reading, I had no hobbies that weren't sports.

I had been taught how to drive a sewing machine as part of 7th grade home ec. A year later, my 4H project was to sew an outfit, with a lot of help from the lady who lived across the street. During college, I inherited my aunt's ancient cast iron sewing machine. So, from my painful perch on the couch, I decided that sewing was something fun I could do while sitting down.

I watched some PBS quilting and sewing shows. I got myself a rotary cutter and a mat. I started cutting two inch squares from old shirts, sewing them back together to make a Japanese key pattern. It had always been one of my favorites.

My first quilt top. I decided to hand quilt it. The polyester content makes it difficult to get a needle through, but I have worked on it, and then set it aside, and then picked it back up again a few times.

UPDATE: I am almost done with the hand quilting and it feels good to know the project is almost complete. In finishing this up, I have also improved my hand quilting skills. It was a real challenge. Much harder to needle than the wholecloth unbleached muslin that was my first hand quilting project:

My second quilt top was made from three old shirts and some solid blue yardage purchased from the fabric store. I didn't use a pattern. I just figured out how many blocks I could make from the limited fabric of the three shirts.

It is still a UFO--but not for long. I didn't finish it because I couldn't decide what kind of border I wanted. I kept changing my mind. But I have finally got it figured out, and it is basted and ready to machine quilt--finally!

So to continue my journey into quilting ... after a while, I bought my first quilt magazine, and have accumulated many since. I started to buy more fabric, and then it just kept going. My first class was hand quilting. My second, machine quilting. Then several project oriented classes. Watched many more episodes of PBS sewing shows. I can't stop now!

I just went back and read everyone's stories about how they got started. Wonderful, isn't it, how an artistic hobby keeps us sane? I have been lifted out of the depression that followed my injury. The quilting did a lot of good for me. Oh, and gardening. I feel a burst of joy every time I see a seed sprout. Great thread. Keep the stories coming! :-)

My grandmother was one of the "old fashioned" quilters, she used up old scraps from her sewing. To her, I think, quilts were just something you did, and not an art form. She made us grandchildren quilts for our HS graduations.

My mother was an amazing seamstress, knitter, crotcheter, and did beautiful embroidery. She attempted to quilt, but hated it. She did manage (it took her 20 years) to make for me and DH a double wedding ring quilt. I think the fact that she picked such a hard pattern soured her on the whole quilting thing.

Then there's me. Couldn't sew, knit, whatever. My grandmother's quilt for my graduation was falling apart. I couldn't bear to throw it away, so I decided to fix it. It is a tied 9-patch. So I cut the ties, replaced 14 out of 30 nine-patches, and replaced the batting, bound it, and retied it. The binding is pretty shaky, but the rest looks great. That was three years ago; I haven't stopped since.
Tamie

I learned to sew sitting under my mother's sewing machine making barbie doll clothes with her scraps of fabric, I hadn't started school at the time so I was about 4 years old. My first quilt was one I did for my daughter with materials I had made clothing for her with, The quilt was made from the scraps after the garment was cut out. I now do not quilt due to not having a space or child free zone. My grandson and daughter live with my hubby and I and the grandson does not make it easy to have time for my self.

My grandmother (we called her Baba) did some quilting. I wish I had one of her quilts now. They were strictly utilitarian--wool, unequal sized blocks, flannel backed and yarn tied. And my aunt who lived next door to us quilted, but she started after I married and left the area. My mother never did much sewing. I don't know where I saw my first crazy quilt, but that's what I want to make some day. A creation with fancy fabrics and rich embroidery. But first I'd have to learn to embroider! My childhood embroidery projects were always a mess and never finished--not sure I can overcome that beginning.

Anyway, I have wanted to quilt for a long time and since I will be retiring from my job soon and will need a new hobby, I decided now is the time to start. I began buying books about quilting and some FQs on ebay a couple months ago and finally worked up the courage to visit a LQS to ask about beginner's lessons. No classes were going to be taught in the near future, so I bought Alex Anderson's beginner's book and I'm learning as I go...and with the help of you kind quilters!
Marcia

I don't remember any quilts at all in my childhood. none anywhere. I remember slooking thru my mothers collection of newspaper clippings - most of them the early 1920-30 quilt patterns. The only ones I still have were the patterns for a snowflake quilt (each block was different snowflake) We were all sewers and made our own clothes.
My oldest sister gave me the Georgia Bonesteel quilting booklet from her early TV series. After she and my Mom died I started getting interested in quilt magazines and did start to make blocks from those mags. Fast forward about 20 more years and I made my first table topper.

Hello Ladies, I can't tell you how much I enjoy this site. I am learning new things all the time, but I love this post so will add my little bit.
My Mother in law taught me how to quilt, when I married the ladies all got together once a month in an old school house and spent the day quilting. Brought stuff for dinner and who ever day it was to quilt their quilt they were to bring the main dish, everyone else brought other stuff. It was a day to look forward to. They always got 2 done in 1 day. That was back in the early 60's, and I have quilted ever since. I don't do fancy stuff, just plain and easy ones. I used to quilt large ones but the past several years I have just been doing baby quilts. Don't sell any just give them away to family and friends. Oh yes way back them when someone got married they always got a quilt. Well no one in my family did anything like that so I made one for all my neices and nephews when they married and then baby quilts when the little ones came along. I would like to try and machine quilting but am afraid to get started.
I have been married for almost 45 years and live on a farm in AR. So Hello all.

Hello all. My DGM sewed clothes and quilts. The quilts were from the clothes scraps. My sister got me started. She had me purchase material that looked like a quilt and I made a lap quilt by adding batting and backing and then quilting the lines by hand. After that I took several quilt classes at the community college. I quilted a few things after that. When my sister passed away I inherited all her craft and quilting material (she had lots). Now, I like to quilt any chance I get. When I make a quilt and use her material I feel like the quilt is from both of us and it makes it really special. There are so many new things to try out there. I am going to make a list so I can remember all them. I surely enjoy this forum. Thanks

Hi everyone

I learnt to sew at school when I was 11 years old. Didn't do a lot of sewing (that I can remember). I did a lot of knitting, crochet, tatting and cross stitch. When I got my first real fulltime job I bought myself a Bernina. I thought I would make lots of clothes, but it turned out that it was cheaper to buy pre-made clothes.

Over the years, the machine was used for home decorating more than clothes sewing.

Fast forward MANY years to my "married" days. Hubbie and I decided on one very overcaste and rainy day to jump into the car and find the sun. We ended out in a lovely little country town, and they had a sewing/quilting store which was open:) I saw the lovely store samples, and just fell in with them, and yes, I fell for the beautiful eye candy. It wasn't just worn out scraps like I thought it was.

The town happened to have a quilt show on that weekend as well. The quilts were beautiful, and hit a chord with the beauty of handmade items. I was always taught by my Dad that anything you make is far more precious than anything you can buy. I believe that to this day.

When I came back home, I found a LQS (which was quite some distance away), and joined a stained glass quilt class. When my step daughter moved in, I started to make her a quilt, then I made her an i-spy quilt. Then I just got seriously addicted to fabric, and the beautiful patterns.

I am pretty much self taught, and I receive a lot of help from all the magnificent ladies here. Unfortunately I work full-time, and have large travel times to and frome work. I would love to spend much more time quilting than I currently do.

I enjoy applique, and hand quilting the most. I like using the machine as it speeds up piecing and binding, but I tend to get sore shoulders.

I've really enjoyed this thread. Thank you to everyone for sharing your stories; they were all such a joy to read.

The plan was to go to a movie with some friends, but a migraine headache hit. My friends went to the movie, and I stayed behind for a nap at one friend's home, under a hand made quilt. Never saw one before, not HAND MADE! It was a hexagon pattern, Grandmother's Flower Garden. Fascinated, I took a beginner class. That was so many years ago, and I have been completely addicted to quilting ever since. And guess what! No more migraines!
BlueBars

Time for some of our newest members to chime in! I'm renewing this thread because we'd love to hear from y'all.

My Grandma made me a quilt for my fourth birthday and I used that thing until it had a bunch of holes, im not even sure where it is now. Oddly enough I did not learn how to quilt from her. Last christmas I decided to make my best friend a quilt with pictures on it and ever since then ive been addicted. I have taught my self how to do everything and ive also learned ALOT from this forum in the past 3 months. All I know is this is an addicting hobby.

I am very new to this site but I absolutly love it. Everyone seems so nice and open hearted.

I have not started to really quilt as of yet but I will be starting shortly. When I was 13 (16 years ago, I am almost 30 now ) I decided I was going to hand sew fabric together for a quilt for my niece who at the time was 5. I did and to this day she sleeps with it every night, falling apart and the batting all at one end of it LOL. She is expecting her first child in October and she is calling me everyday for a handmade quilt for her baby. I can't say no. I can not think of a gift for her or the baby that would be more from the heart and soul as that. But I want to make my first real quilt right! And the second quilt I want to be an upgrade for my niece.
My love and admiration for quilting came before that. From the time I was 2 I slept with a quilt from my great grandmother that was hand quilted and I wouldn't sleep without it. Even after coming home from the hospital after being in acoma for 3 weeks I was carrying that quilt in behind me because my mother faught the hospital on not letting " personal items" in ICU. I slept with that quilt until it was too raggy to keep in one piece.
Anyway I think the love of quilting did come from my roots. My mothers family made quilts from only scraps and what ever they had availible and the quilts were either made heavy or light depending on the need. I have always admired them and even though I don't sew regularly or knit I am so motivated to finally dive in and learn this that I can't wait.

Welcome, Lillie! So you're one of the few whose family has a history of quilting. Stick around, and you'll find lots of friendly advice.

Hello, everyone.
Well, I'm a newbie to this site - just discovered it recently. Since then, I've been soaking up all the information that you folks are kind enough to share.

My mother taught me to sew on an old treadle which I still have. The first thing I can remember making was a royal blue velvet skirt for my Barbie when I was around 10 or so. Looking back, I'm rather astonished that I was able to figure out how to do that.

I am fortunate in that I still have two of the quilts that my mother made for me. Can't remember the name of the pattern - will have to look it up sometime. She taught both my sister and I to quilt - my sister still has Mom's quilting frame.

As a young stay-at-home mom 25 years ago, I did a lot of sewing for my own children and as baby gifts. Those baby gifts were simple quilts - usually appliqued; had to be easy to make! Fast forward 25 years ago and one of the recipients of those long-ago quilts (a niece) asked me if I would make one for her newborn son. She still had the one I made for her - in fact was using it for the baby - and really would love one for her baby. After I picked myself up off the floor (amazed that the quilt was special to her), I dragged the sewing machine out of the closet, found a pattern and fabric....and now I'm hooked again!

Techniques have changed, so right now I'm reading and learning everything I can.

Margaret

Welcome, Margaret! The more the merrier. And if you ever have any questions, just ask. Someone will jump in and try to answer. We are a friendly bunch.

MaryLiz in Michigan

Margret,
I am so glad you brought this back. I hadn't read it and now that I have been around for a little while this puts a new light on people I have learn to respect and enjoy.
I am glad you have found the forum and know that you will enjoy it as I have. Quilting is more the a hobby, more of a passion I think, so enjoy you new found pleasure. There is always so much for all of us to learn and the teachers here are willing and friendly. Jayne

Thanks for the welcome.
I agree with the comment about it being a passion - found myself passionately eyeing up the fabrics in the fabric store with a head full of ideas...I'll have a metre of this, two metres of that....LOL.
Also discovered that a small quilting shop in the city where I live offers workshops/classes, usually on a Saturday. Looking forward to that.
I know I will have a lot of questions - it's wonderful to think that folks on this forum will take the time to share their knowledge.

Margaret

My mom was a quilter. I'd guess my grandmother was as well, although I knew her more for her knitting/crocheting.

A decent chunk of my childhood memories have my mom in the process of making quilts. She hand quilted some, but others she took to a woman whose name I can't recall. I only remember her as the 'quilt lady'.

Anyway, I remember being very young and my mom and I went to her house to discuss a quilt mom wanted machine quilted and I was completely blown away by her machine, which I now know was a long arm quilting machine. I just remember that it was the biggest sewing machine I had ever seen in my life. It apparently made an impression, because it's been about 25 years and I could probably still find that woman's house and could tell you exactly where her machine was in the house.

The first quilt my mom ever made me, I still have. It's probably about 25 years old by now. I'd guess it's about a full sized quilt and had brown borders. At the top is my name spelled out in white stitching and the blocks are so awesome. Mom handpainted horse heads on white fabric.

The first (and currenly only) quilts I have made are baby quilts for my niece and nephew for their first birthday. They are a simple 9 block pattern and the blocks are a kind of tie dye pattern.