Cinderella

My mother-in-law was a quilter until she became too old and arthritis kept her from doing so....she will be 99 in November! She always made quilts for family members so they would have something to remember her by. That gave me the inspirations to begin quilting for my 7 grand daughters. When they are old enough, they select the pattern, choose their colors and then we go fabric shopping. Only have 1 that was old enough to do this so her quilt is done, the other 6 are only 6 years to 1 year old so in the meantime I am busy making quilts because I am hooked!

Rann

Both my grandmothers quilted and I finally decided to start since I am retired. Several friends quilt.

j

I had a heart attack and decided I wanted my grandchildren and great children to have something from me. I started 2 years ago to quilt and have 5 more to make and I said I would then start a second round because I am getting better at quilting, then I hope to start a third round and I should be great by then! -- J.

mamaw

I have an incurable form of leukemia, so need to try and avoid people as much as possible during cold and flu season. In 2005 I decided to teach myself to quilt because I had a new Kenmore that I was only using to shorten hubby's pantlegs. I am so happy I did, and now am the proud owner of a Janome Horizon 7700 and a Janome Gem Platinum to take with me to quilt sessions. Have met some wonderful friends on this journey also. It has trully proven to be a blessing in my life!

jhumbird

My mother had a friendship quilt given to her as a wedding gift by her cousins, all in Betty Boop squares. I just loved it. After retirement, my friend and I took a quilt class and that was it, love at first class.

gunny148

My Grand mother helping trace the cardboard pattern, the cutting out the block. then my mother teaching me to hand sew the blocks together, to sandwich the thing then hand quilt. My Dad use to tease me about going to make a good house wife..Started i was 10 also when my Dad passed away in 1990 i put my first quilt in hes casket, Him in his Uniform and my quilt

margecam52

My mom. Momma had the mentality of a 10 year old, but she loved all things crafty. She was always doing something with her hands, embroidery, pulled work embroidery, cutwork, candlewicking, she made crepe paper roses, pillows, and crocheted edges for her embroidered pillowcases. She was self taught on it all. When I was nine, I needed something to wear to school. She took one of my sister's skirts & told me to wear it..at least three sizes too large & really long...I didn't want to wear it pinned at the waist...mom didn't want to fix it...so I stayed home, took it in (temporarily, since it wasn't mine)...and hemmed it. Momma was impressed...said I could fix my own clothes from then on... and it also spurred her to teach me to do the crafts she so loved. When I was expecting my first baby...I wanted a quilt for her...mom gave me a few shirt & blouse sleeves (she saved everything)..my dad said I could have his sleeves, if I would shorten his shirts to short sleeve...and my own tops, skirts...I cut them up, made a quilt out of 5" squares...and two old blankets...one for batting, one for backing...my daughter slept on that as her mattress for 4 years (yep, we were dirt poor)...she wore her blanket out...But I was hooked on sewing, quilting...have been doing it ever since.

maryb119

I grew up around sewing and made most of my clothes and my daughter's. When she was 2 and she was ready to move from the crib to a big girl bed, I made her a quilt to make the transition easier. She is now 37 and still has the quilt even though its warn and faded, she still loves it.

I did everything wrong. I used 5/8 inch seam allowances and I pillowcased a twin size quilt so no binding and then machine quilted it. It turned out fine and looked pretty good inspite of my "mistakes."

oma66

In 1982 I began because a friend asked me to draw scenes (I am an artist) on some blank squares of fabric for a memory quilt she was making. It was just the blocks sewn together and sashed and stitched in the ditch. That was it. So...I did the same thing for my parents, daughters and mother-in-law. I was in Germany at the time and did not know anyone that quilted. When I got back to the states I went to work and did not quilt again until 1992 and I made a full size quilt for my granddaughter. I absolutely loved it and I taught myself by reading books gotten from the library. I made a few more quilts until 2007 when we moved from NC to AZ. That is when I retired from teaching and took up quilting and now belong to a quilt group. I enjoy this art form as much as I enjoy painting and drawing. This board has been so wonderful and I have learned so much. THANK YOU to all the ladies and gents on this board - you are so inspirational.

Nolee

I taught myself to sew for my four girls since they were little. I stopped when the last one was a teenager and begged for store-bought clothes like her sisters, so I stopped sewing altogether. That was 1989. When my last and final grandson was on the way in 2008, I bought a "Quilt in a Day" pattern (which I found out is a lie) and made my first quilt. I thought sewing it together and making a backing, sewing together and turning it right side out was quilting. Was a week from giving it when I found out what "quilting" really was. I think I have done some form of quilting every day since then.