nancee

Sewing is a natural attraction to me. I taught myself pretty much at age 14 to sew. My grandmother came that summer and gave me support and showed me some things. I made all my school clothes my junior year in high school, and pretty much thereafter. Quilting.....that desire came about 20 years later, I would buy magazines or books on How to Quilt, but never had time to really sit down and get into it (or maybe I just needed a group of quilters like you). My grandmothers quilted out of neccesity and we always had quilts on our beds for blankets....Quilts feel good...Guess it's kind of in my genes....I'm just a late bloomer.

Chele

I've always loved textiles. And quilts. I just collected them before I sewed. My great grandmothers were quilters, so I think they were dropping hints from beyond! Anyway, almost two years later and I am hooked so bad! I hope I'm making the greats proud. They would probably shake their heads at my color usage! LOL!

littlehud

When my mom found out she had cancer my sister and I spent hours at doctor offices and at the hospital. She would crochet and I would knit.
After a long hard battle with cancer my mom passed away and the knitting and crocheting brought back too many sad memories so my sister suggested we try quilting. Now I bring handwork to my dads when I visit in the evenings ( to keep him company ). My sister has made a few quilts, but is now back to crocheting, I on the other hand can't get enough quilting. It is my therapy and keeps me happy.

SazuBMidlands

My mum has always been quite crafty doing bobbin lace and cross stitch and things, so sewing has always had a place in my childhood. I guess what really inspired me though was when I visited Canada in 2004 and saw a double wedding ring quilt in nova scotian tartan and royal blue - fell in love with it. A double wedding ring of my own is my 'one day' ambition.

justquiltin'

What wonderful stories!
I have "always" enjoyed sewing -- took my first class when I was eight or so, then moved on to garment making at 13 or 14. I'm short, so I always make my formal attire. :wink:
I've always wanted to learn to quilt, because of the sewing and also because I do a fair amount of crocheting, especially afghans and baby layettes. I wanted to add something more...
Then we got pregnant with our first child, and I made her baby room. Including something I niavely called a quilt. :oops:
I found out that our church has a quilt group, a very active and loving bunch that welcomed me with open arms. I have never found a more loving community than quilters. They seem so willing to share their knowledge and experience rather than keeping them secrets to find out the hard way.
Needless to say, it became an obesession! Three years, and already I've got more UFO's and ideas than I can reasonably hope to carry out in a lifetime!

beachlady

My Mom used to make my clothes and then I started making my own clothes, made my daughter's clothes when they were little and about 10 years ago I decided to take a class - was either going to be stained glass or quilting. Quilting won out and I have been playing with it ever since, though since I am retired now, I do something almost daily - could be buying fabric, washing fabric, ironing fabric or sewing. Have so many things I want to make and they will never get done. Oh well. UFO's ae fun to look at!!

Craftybug

I have been sewing all my life, I am the oldest of 10 kids and there was never money to buy clothes for every one of us so my mom decided to make our clothes because it was cheaper. Back then we used to make clothes by hand. As I grew older I learn to do all kinds of handcrafts and things for the house. I started quilting in the fall of 2006. and I Love it. :D

KrazyQuilter

Honestly, it was the Jennifer Chiaverini quilting novels. I read the first one where Sylvia was teaching Sarah how to hand-piece and I said to myself "I can do that!" And I did it! My great-grandmother had also taught me how to cover old blankets and tie them so I already knew how to do that.

mpspeedy

Hi,
I started sewing doll clothes by hand when I was 8 or 9. By the time I was 12 I made myself clothes. When I was a junior in high school I made my first quilt out of 4 inch blocks from all the clothes I had made for myself before that time. I didn't know anyone else who quilted and it took me years to find out real information. My parents gave me a sewing machine for a high school graduation present. I had been crocheting for years before I took up quilting. I have only taken about 4 formal classes in my life but I now belong to two guilds and have seen at least 100 quilt professionals give presentations etc. I now do handquilting for other people when they are willing to pay me for my time.

blahel

Come to think of it i have sewn since i was around 10, but on and off. I learnt in school to handsew little embroidered bookmarks and also crocheted blankets and doilies but could never get into knitting as i felt it just took so long to grow..possibly because of me not being a fast knitter..
When my kids were little i made a lot of their everyday clothes out of necessity and crocheted each of them a blanket and made their cot sheets. I didnt sew for many years but felt that something creative was missing in my life but didnt know what and tried folk art painting amongst other things but it wasnt until i went to a couple of craft shows and saw all the beautiful quilts that I knew that was what i wanted to create. That was a couple of years ago and even though i have only made a couple of wall hangings and a baby quillow i have thoroughly enjoyed making them. I have given everything away as gifts so far and am currently making a baby blanket and bag to hold it in for my niece. I find it to be an enjoyable past time and my list of to do projects just keeps on getting longer and longer!!