I was trying to remember, somewhere around 8 or 9. My grandma had an old Singer treadle machine(which she gave me later,but sadly it was damaged in a tornado in 1978)and had lots of material around,she made quilts back then.But I guess it was a dress, not a very good one but enough that I ended up taking 4yrs of Home Ec. in school and loved sewing every since.I didn't start quilting until my oldest granddaughter was born and I made her a quilt with a turtle on it getting into a pond, her mom loves turtles and she put it on the wall or the side of the crib for decoration.