LindaWheattall

I envy anyone who knew their grandmothers. Both of mine were dead before I was born. That's why I do as much as possible with my grandchildren and great grandchildren. I was lucky enough to have a step grandma that showed me how to crochet.

Greenheron

Being permitted to stitch lines on Mom's Kenmore in the 1950s made me want to emulate her wonderful clothing constructions. She could choose a pattern and the fabric to complete the garment perfectly...perhaps from her time working in an upscale department store. I learned to sew but never mastered great clothes.

I learned to embroider as a Brownie Scout in the mid-50s.

Quilting was self-taught until I married and met the ladies of the Extension Homemakers in my new town. I don't think I would ever hand quilted without their guidance and inspiration.

Windsong

I was sewing doll clothes so young I don't even remember how old I was. My mother made all our clothes on a treadle sewing machine and she also made quilts out of left over fabric (which was usually feed sacks, because that's what our clothes were made out of). We didn't have electric so I learned to sew on a treadle machine also. I can remember telling my Mother when I was 9 or 10 that I could make my own clothes. So she let me pick out a blue for a 4 gore skirt that had a zipper with a waist band and a blue and white checked fabric for a blouse that buttoned down the front with a collar. I made the skirt and blouse and did such a good job that Mother said to me "okay, from now on you can make your own clothes", and I did. I learned to tailor my own clothing and did some sewing for other people. An older neighbor lady taught me to crochet from looking at something that was already made and make one like it before I started to school. I later taught myself to read crochet patterns when I was 10 years old and the first thing I crocheted from a pattern was a baby sweater for my sister's first baby. I have sewed and crocheted ever since. I later taught myself to knit and embrodery. I only started piecing quilts about 4 years ago because I didn't want to make clothes any longer. I still crochet a lot. I am a self taught quilt maker, also.

Montana Quilter

My Mother always sewed for pleasure and refinished and recovered antique furniture pieces as a hobby. It was so fun to come home and see what new piece would be finished and sitting in our living room. I can remember at a very young age running my hands over the tapestry and upholstery materials and loving the texture and colors. I sewed my first outfit when I was in the 5th grade and I was so proud of it!! I have been sewing ever since then and love being at my sewing machine. So- I guess I have been sewing for 44 years!!

DonnaMaeE

My grandmother taught me how to sew on buttons when I was 3 and I started making doll clothes from scraps at about 6. I was in 4-H at 9 and made my first skirt. In Junior high home ec, I started making all my own clothes and have been sewing ever since. I am now teaching some of my grandaughters how to sew.

connie d

I remember early on I guess I was about 7 my mom sat beside me and we both sewing our quilt out of wool squares. I would still have it but I found out a very important lesson about washing any items that are made of wool. Unfortunately my quilt did not make it. I still love sewing after many years.:)

Pam H

Nancy, you must be about the same age as me. That's about how long I have been sewing, too.
I learned to crochet and knit in elementary school. I know I crocheted a purse with popcorn stitch in 3rd grade. I remember knitting clothes for Barbie, too. In high school I sewed all my own clothes except for blue jeans. I hated it and only did it because it was cheaper than buying clothes. I pretty much quit sewing after high school until I started quilting 3 years ago. That, I love!

DaylilyDawn

I learned to sew by sitting under my mother's sewing machine while she sewed on it, I was handsewing doll clothes with the scraps from what ever she was working on. I was not yet 6 when this was happening. Been sewing since about 1960 and knitting since the early 1970's.

BrendaB

Me too :-)

grammy17

Thanks for asking us about our stories. I've so enjoyed reading each one. We are different but we are the same.