When my son was about 2, I decided to buy myself a sewing machine and teach myself how to quilt. I bought an inexpensive Singer model machine, and a sewing kit, ordered two pre-cut quilt kits, and got started. That was before the rotary cutter was invented!
I sewed quilts, stuffed animals, doll quilts, and such. The quilting bug bit hard, as I am still at it today! Love it!!

My start was just pretty random. I decided upon the birth of a good friend's little girl that I would make a quilt for her. I did not quilt for another four months, and then suddenly decided to start again. If the quilting bug does have an incubation period, well, it took my bugs four months to wreak wonderful quilting havoc! ;0) The fabric addiction would soon follow thereafter. And, as my network of friends in DC/Alexandria, VA were changing jobs and places, quilting became a remedy to some of the lonliness and loss I felt at that time. It also helped me to find some other friends that I would not have otherwise found. It is amazing how theraputic quilting is, as I'm learning from some of the others who told their tremendous stories of loss, and how quilting became their start to overcoming their grief. No wonder why I love quilting.

I love arts and crafts and when I see something I like, I want to try it out. No courses, no books.
I look over the internet to get some idea of what I want to do. I went for a visit and tour of of one of John Wayne's houses and his farm here in AZ. On one of the beds was a puff quilt. I thought what fun that might be and I love challenge.
My first quilt was a full sized puff quilt for my granddaughter. It took long but, gave me hours of relaxation.
I am hooked. I now just recently finished a queen quilt for my daughter and son in law and have 2 small baby quilts on the burner to do now. I also have a stash of fabric to make my niece and her fiance. I have a stash to make a queen sized quilt for my spare bedroom. I plan down the road when this is all done, I am going to make a quilt for both of my sisters and their husbands.
I still have a needlepoint eagle to finish and I have loads of wool to do other projects should I need a break.

When I retired I knew I wanted a "hobby". I decided I wanted to learn tapestry weaving. It had always intriqued me. Bought a loom, how to book and yarn. Made one project and took it off the loom. It was pretty "wonkie". Warped the loom again and never started another project. (warping the loom is a project in itself) Sold the loom on e-bay. At least now I know how it is done but decided it wasn't for me. Decided I liked quilts and would try one myself. My first bed size quilt was a simple nine patch queen size and hand quilted. That was about nine years ago and I have been doing it ever since. No classes, just a pattern and sometimes no instructions with it. I've since learned a lot from books and other people I have met through this wonderful hobby. Hope I'm getting better.

I have sewed clothing for a very long time. Learning from Home Ec class way back in the good ol' days.I made an odd quilt but never really took to it when my kids were little,...probably too busy working and raising a family. My job as a nurse in a very small rural hospital is very stressful in ways that are different from a larger hospital. Every person that comes in has some connection to us. We are either related or a friend or mom's friend...I've joked with my DH about it saying "I've seen everyone in this town naked". That being said I was having a particularly hard time with a couple of rather tragic incidents at work and had great trouble disconnecting my brain and refocusing on my life rather than others. I was doing busy work to keep my mind off of the sadness and tragedy around me and cleaning out a closet jammed full of odds and ends and found a whole bunch of blue jeans. Not one to throw anything out I started cutting them up into squares and... you guessed it....I made a quilt. I found that while i was doing it I could put my life back into perspective and it was calming. I now quilt as I HAVE to, It makes sense when too many things in life do not.From tears I make flowers.

I remember helping my DGM paint animals on squares and she put other blocks with these for a quilt(I have this quilt) and having her teach me to sew on a Treadle machine. I used to make some of my clothes, then my children's clothes and even some of my DD's dance costumes. Life got VERY busy with four children and seven grandchildren and I only mended for some time. I went on disability and my DH & I relocated from IN. to FL. and I was an empty-nester(what a different life completely). My DM had been quilting since her DM passed and inherited all of her UFO's, WIP's and stash. She felt like I needed something to keep me busy to deal with being an empty-nester and the rest is HISTORY. I haven't looked back and Happily curse her every time I talk to or see her,LOL!! She has even gotten my two sisters into quilting and we all live in different states. I've never taken a class and ALL I've learned has been from my DM, books, TV shows, and this GREAT BOARD!!! I'm now trying to get my DD interested in quilting, but it may be my 3yr. old DGD that is more interested.

I'm not sure why.

I've always admired quilts and envied those who make such beautiful items. But I've also always been worried about my ability to execute such items (a nasty streak of perfectionism).

This spring, I found directions for a Rag Quilt and thought that sounded like a neat way to quilt without having to worry about the accuracy (Um - Nope - Accuracy in seams, cutting, etc. is still a good idea). The more I read about quilting, the more intrigued I got. Then I found this board and learned about Harriet Hargrave's Quilters Academy series.

Now I'm hooked.

Cheers, K

I learned how to sew in my teens and always had a machine, made mine and my daughters clothes years ago, whenever I would see a quilt I always told myself you should learn to do that. So I took a class and the rest as they say is history. I am totally hooked and find it very relaxing. :)

I started sewing at the age of 5, tried quilting during my teen years, but didn't really like it. I discovered Paper Piecing in the summer of 2008 while looking for an airplane pattern. Sad events occured, but I got hooked on pping and have been doing quilts off and on ever since! Right now I'm very interested in miniature pieces!

I had wanted to quilt for years. My DG made some beautiful quilts and I'd always admired others. Time, children, work kept me from quiting. I made a decision that as soon as my youngest graduated from hs and went to college that I would sign up for the first class available. That was 2009 and I've had a project going ever since!