DavidMichael that's great progress, keep up the great work.
Maribeth good for you, I'm glad you where able to find a part of you that you deserve to know.
I rebelled against quilting. My mother did many quilt as you go log cabins when I was a teen. My grandmother had been a seamstress long ago and had taught me how to hand sew during that same time, so I knew enough to fix things, and have a much cherished doll blanket that was my first quilt. Funny it is my first quilt. Though I have always thought of the one in my avatar as my first one. I'll try to post the other later.
DH offered many many times to buy me a sewing machine I refused. Many things some of them seemingly no big deal and others very hard for me, lead me to make a quilt from my daughter's baby clothes. Because of my hands I did it all on the machine. I love it and feel that no fabric is to much of a challenge and no pattern I wont try that doesn't eat me first. ;)