I've just spent a couple of hours on this board reading all the stories of how ya'll got started. What a great read!
I had made clothes for my myself since I was 8years old. I recall I made a lavender jumper skirt with material my mom let me pick out myself. I got to use her machine! I remember her saying that I had to save the scraps for her so she could use them later and indeed they showed up in a scrappy 4 patch that she made a few years later. Anyway I had a friend of mine who called me up one weekend and said I had to try making a quilt. I said no way! But kicking and screaming in protest she made me go to her house, I thought we were going to be cutting up little squares all day. She introduced me to quilting through the Quilt In A Day Log Cabin book by Eleanor Burns. It took me two days and I loved every minute of it. It was FUN! So I thought since I was so good at making the Log Cabin pattern I could strike out on my own and make something I really wanted....A Double Wedding Ring Quilt! No one told me this was not a good idea.... they should have! I fussed with cutting out the pieces and fighting the bias and trying to make it work, well it is currently my oldest UFO clocking in at 32+ years! It keeps me humble. I didn't let my failure to finish it stop me from my path in quilting. I returned to the Elenor Burns Quilt In A Day Series and honed my skills, lol. Now I can pretty much make anything I want to but I find my taste are always changing. I love trying new things and usually make a quilt or two out of whatever new technique I have come across. I love the process and I call each quilt one of my 'babies'. They all go to friends and family who are instructed to USE them until they wear out and I can always make them another. I've never had to replace one yet, it makes me feel good that they take care of them. My current project is an embroiderd quilt.... and of course there is always the double wedding ring quilt to finish..... riiiight!