Ramona Byrd

Sitting beside my Grandma on the front porch, sewing blocks together by hand. That was the pretties cover I'd ever seen. It was made from some old clothes "rich" family members had given us that didn't fit anyone. During the depression you never threw anything away, if you couldn't use it you could always find someone else could.
Sure wonder whatever happened to it.

justwannaquilt

Youtube taught me! I even made up my own pattern for my first quilt using graph paper. I later found out that the pattern was already invented and copyrighted as a "Bento Box" LOL (I had never seen one before)

Grambi

My sister and I took classes taught at a LQS by a wonderful woman who has been quilting for 60+ years. She is a stickler about learning things the correct way which I do appreciate even though I have learned a bunch of alternative ways to do things. The county Community Education sponsered the class.

cminor

My husbands grandmother gave us a quilt for a wedding present. A couple years later our daughter had a class in high school where each student made a small quilt. She taught me some of the basics - but I learned most from this board!

SherriB

I have pretty much taught myself. And mostly through trial and error. I didn't have a clue when I first started. I sewed for years using the 5/8 in seam allowance and tried my first quilt that way. Needless to say, it went into the trash after many tears and much frustration.

I started reading blogs and books and have learned the most from this message board.

ruck9085

Actually self taught. Paged thru mil's old quilting books back in the summer of 2000 and thought I could do that, so I bought up a bunch of material and got busy. Didn't know squat about rotary cutting so I cut the pieces for the Dresden Plate, the Bow Tie and the Spool quilt out all by hand!All were queen sized and all were hand quilted. So glad I wised up after watching Eleanor Burns and got the rotary cutter! But I still hand quilt all my quilts.

wolfkitty

By trial and error. I picked up a little by reading here and there. Didn't have anyone to teach me and didn't know about classes for a long time. But I have learned a lot from this board, so I am getting there. Reading Q & A's and tutorials have both been very helpful, too.

running1

My "sewing" friend and I were chatting one day years ago about how both our mother's were quilting... we thought, well, we should quilt, too. She mentioned our conversation while at choir practice to the lady sitting next to her who replied, "My sister quilts and she'll teach us. She's been wanting to teach me too!" So, that summer, we spent several days over the summer learning to quilt the old fashioned way... everything by hand, cutting each piece individually, etc... Next summer (we were both still teaching back then), we're fabric shopping and stumble into a wonderful quilt shop in OKC... we're standing there with our mouths dropped open when a staff member says, "You've never been here before, have you?" Well, we signed up for "Beginning quilting", discovered the rotary cutter, and have never looked back! Our quilt teacher has become a dear friend over the years... we've gone back to the shop for many different classes, all of them VERY helpful! Our only problem is there is just not enough time in every day to play!!
We have a mutual quilting friend here in our small town who is practically 100% self-taught and she makes wonderful quilts!!

The three of us are thinking about some kind of ministry for our church... teaching sewing basics, then possibly quilting basics.... some way to give back!

S D G

My Grandmother quilted, my Mother and a favorite Aunt. I started sewing when I was about 10. I sewed all of my life, for myself and for others. At 1 point in time I worked for a bridal shop doing alterations for the gowns. Anyway- when I deciced to make a quilt it only seemed natural to do it. I told my mother I wanted to make a quilt, she then gave me a bunch of scraps, and I started form there. I not have a small stash(not much space for more) and quilt whenever I can fit it into my schedule. Thats my story and I'm stickin to it. :)

karenpatrick

I already knew how to sew from 6 years of home ec in school. I decided about 10 years ago I was going to make a quilt so I went to one of the free places for pattern, found one I liked, read the directions and made the quilt. I made a lot of mistakes and learned from them and every quilt since then has been a little bit better. I also watch all the quilting shows on TV and learn a lot from them.