I dabbled a bit for about two years. Then my Mom started to 'decline' - altzheimers and physically, too - and couldn't be left home alone anymore. We didn't want to put her in a nursing home, I wasn't working, so my husband and I became her caretakers for the last 6 months of her life.
I needed something to do!!! during the day. So I hunted around in our junk closet, found my old Montgomery Ward sewing machine which was given to me in the 1970's, and hardly used. I got it up and running, ordered 2 kits from Connecting Threads, and kept myself busy for several months. Most of that time was trying to figure out what I was doing, but it hooked me. Two of my grandsons got those quilts for Christmas 2010.
My Mom used to quilt - while I was learning,she'd say things like, "I've forgotten more than you'll ever know about quilting." (She didn't say it to be mean; she said it because it was true.) She helped with color choice and enjoyed looking at the work in progress - and was able to give me hints here and there.
At first, my husband was delighted. I finally had a hobby. Then he found out how much this hobby costs!!!!