quilt-fanatic

My Grandmother started me on embroidery at the tender age of 7 or 8. Then it was 4-H and sewing aprons and making my own clothes. When I went to work, with husband and 2 boys, I didn't have time to sew on a button! Now thatI'm retired, I took up quilting as a hobby and absolutely love it. My avatar is 1st Queen size quilt made for niece's wedding.

leonajo

started at 51. I used safety pins and staples to patch my clothes...don't laugh, staples work pretty good every where but pockets. then u get a bloody finger.... I have been as sock darner since childhood....drove everybody crazy, still does.

Darlene

No one in my family sews but me. My mom did sew when we were young but didn't later on. She did crochet and do some needlework. I am the only crocheter in my family. My brother's daughter does crochet some. The first Christmas we were married my DH bought me a sewing machine and I have had one ever since - 46 years.

Shelbie

I started playing with my mother's threads and fabrics and especially scissors when I was four or five. Finally when I was nine, my mom said there is my featherweight and all the sewing stuff I have, "Go and do what you have to do." From then on, I was constantly cutting and stitching. One of the older ladies at church helped me a little as my mom really only did mending once in a while. From then on I did all her mending (I loved it) and by the time I was 13 was making all my clothes and many outfits for my sisters and my mom. I would spend all my babysitting money on fabric and bought my first Singer Touch and Sew at 15. When I was 16, I started my first quilt (Monkey Wrench) to use up my steadily accumulating scraps and I've been stitching ever since.

needlenut

My mother had me using a needle and embroidery thread at two years old. My summerz were spent embroidering our Christmas presents. She taught me to crochet before I started to school. In seventh grade I finally talked her into getting me some knitting needles and yarn so that my grandmother could teach me to knit. I knit my first sweater to wear to eighth grade. I made doll clothes and our family pajamas on the treadle machine. While still in grade school, Mother made all the clothes our family wore and I did all the handwork, except buttonholes. My grandmother made beautiful buttonholes and that was her job. There was little room to put a quilt in the frames in our house, so the little quilting I did as a kid was a few stitches when my paternal grandmother and aunt were visiting and a quilt was in the frames. I opted to stay home rather than teach while my children were small and made all our clothes plus clothes for others to supplement out income. At 65 I wanted to retire so that I could knit, crochet, tat, and quilt. Now I can't do it fast enough to keep up with all the scraps of fabric and yarn that are given me because someone else is cleaning house and I sm still using such items.

grann of 6

My mother always made all my clothes, and most of my brothers'. We lived in the country with no playmates, so I would sit on the floor beside my mother with the scrapbox and make clothes for my doll. Then I gravitated to making my own clothes. When I started school on the first day of 6th grade I wore a skirt and blouse that I made myself, hand made buttonholes and all. A number of years ago I went back to Mich to visit my brother; he took me to see a guy I went to high school with. The guy looked at me and the first thing he said was, "Do you still sew?" That blew me away to think that that was how I was remembered from 40 years ago.

SuziC

Believe it or not, i Hated sewing when i was young. I flunked home-ec class with my sewing project! It wasn't until i was married with kids that i got the "bug" Started with kids PJ's moved on the sweatsuits and jackets then to quilting and that was it. I can sew most anything but quilting pieces are my true passion! My sister still teases me about the ugly dress i made for home ec class. But she Loves her Quilt!

Drew

My PGM taught me to embroider when I was six. My sister can embroider - but never has time. Actually, never takes the time to embroider (LOL)! I self taught myself to sew clothes - thanks to Simplicity patterns. This was in HS. After I was married my MIL and I took classes for knitting and crocheting. Then, I took needlepoint. When I was expecting my first child, I took quilting lessons from a retired nun. The knitting and crocheting classes were taught by a nun, as well. Anyways, I was hooked after that! What really burns me is that my sister was given my PGM's treadle machine! To this day, I don't know why she kept it as I'm the only one in the family who sews. Oh Well!!

#1piecemaker

I have always been facinated by fabric.When I was little, we didn't have many [places to store our clothes that were out of season, so we put them between the mattresses and springs. On top of a sheet of course. I used to love to choose the way they should be placed. Quilts have always facinated me but only in the last 7 years have they become so intriqueing to me.

tortoisethreads

I was the only crafty person in my family growing up. I made lots of hair accessories. Nobody in my family sewed. There were also no quilts in our house! I had never touched a sewing machine until 5 yrs. ago. My MIL taught me how to use one. I started because I wanted to make my daughter some dresses. I started quilting one year ago and have never looked back!