I'm self taught too. I loved watching Simply quilts and often saw pictures of quilts I would have loved to make. I was inspired but still didn't start making quilt tops until I watched Eleanor Burns one day and saw the many short cuts she is famous for. I decided to go for it and the rest is history. I had already collected quite a bit of fabric, so my dilemma was how to use it.

What has struck me about being self taught is just how many mistakes one can make to learn from. Between great books, TV shows (now defunct), YouTube videos, web sites, and the wonderful information from this forum, I think I have become pretty good at making a quilt top by piecing, and now have to expand onto paper piecing and templates.

I do a big thanks to Fons and Porter because I now make a great binding!

Diane

Never took class. Can't afford it and you can learn just as good from this board, you tube movies and lots of other quiltsites.
I agree that taking classes is a very good for socialising, special when you don't have a bee where you can meet quiltfriends.

I also do the simply quilts show as it is still on air in australia, also find this board an invaluable source of info and the links all of you good people put up on the board so thankyou all for being my teacher :thumbup: :-)

That would include me. I try to always do a project that has something new in it, so that I am still learning. :)

That would also include myself too. At first I didn't know about classes in the town where I live. When I did and saw how much they could cost, I decided that being as I'd got the basics understood, I'd rather add the money to more fabric and batting and improve by practice.

My Mom and grandmother quilted, i started it years after they had passed away, so basically self taught from books and trial and error. Been quilting for about 18 years now and in the past few years i have taken some classes, they are fun, but basically i get my patterns from internet, or quilt books and magazines.

I made my first quilt top in 7th grade(oh no--40 or so years ago). That was totally on my own. I have watched programs like Sewing with Nancy, Georgia Bonesteel, and the best Simply Quilts. I have magazines Quilters Newsletter, and Love of quilting, and have more recently have taken classes from the Quilt festival and my local quilt shop. If you have never taken a class I really recomend it. Folks do things differently, and it is wonderful to get a different perspective. Then there are the things I want to do, silk painting-fabric painting, dying etc. That going to the experts in class makes such a difference. It also helps with your confidence.

maybe some day I will take a class.

Self taught here also and sharing information with friends and learning from them as well. This board is the shisnitz.

I watched my mother quilt but never had any interest until I was expecting my first baby. Hand quilted a whole cloth quilt and it turned out pretty good. Made a lot of baby quilts for family members and the rest of our kids (5 total). Later moved to a larger community where a friend and I started a quilt guild which is still going after 25 years. We have had a great run. Get lots of tips, tricks, and ideas from others. Did take a class with my daughter last spring. It was a blast. Have taken a few through the Nebraska Quilt Guild when they come to North Platte. I have been quilting for 54 years and now I am trying to use up my scraps. They don't seem to disappear, just get smaller! If you can afford it, find a friend and take a class. They are really a lot of fun.