I came from a long line of sewers. Clothes, curtains, pillows...you name it, they sewed it. Then, along came my generation and they didn't teach ANY of us. They thought it was a lost art and no one in our generation would do it. I blame them for the "lost" arts in quilting, needlework, and sewing.
I took a class 6 years ago because I wanted to make the type of blankets that my in-laws made. I couldn't imagine blankets being so beautiful, yet home made. I've still only taken the one class, but there's a couple more that I want to take. I've made 4 lap size Rail fences, my first 4 projects; 1 patchwork out of a McCall's magazine (my first and only big project so far), and a couch size handprint quilt for a friend with cancer.
I'm currently making 2 bigger quilts. One's a mystery and the other a Stairway to Heaven for my step-son in the army. I think I'll have to keep the mystery or risk a divorce as I haven't kept any of them yet and dh says he's tired of watching his hard earned money walk out the door.
I've pieced numerous things for charity, but they were pinned by someone else following different patterns I can't remember. It's a small club of only 6 or 7 women and collectively we made over 50 quilts in 2005 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the church we meet at. We also make quilts for the church shut-ins and different juvenile charities.