Mine started with wishing I had a quilt for my queen sized bed like I had on my twin bed when I was a child. I didn't know it at the time but that one was a hand pieced Trip Around the World that my GG-GM had made in the 1930s. I just was kind of thinking that I would love to learn how to do that.
Without mentioning that to anyone, my MIL decided that she was going to buy her DD (my SIL) and myself a sewing machine. At that point I mentioned to my husband that I would kind of like to learn to quilt. He said that his Aunt (in this case his father's brother's wife) did quilting so I should talk to her. She lives in another city but did once live here. She sent me to what is now my LQS.
I signed up for a class that made the Yellow Brick Road quilt with absolute beginners over the course of eight three hour courses. I knew I needed more classes but was hooked. That was January 2004. The LQS also offered a Quilting By Degree Program that is 87 hours of instruction in total. Rotary Cutter Basics (3 hours) Primarily Patchwork (12 hours) Quilt Construction (12 hours) Hand Quilting (6 hours) Machine Quilting (6 hours) Colour Wheel Basics 1 (6 hours) Colour Wheel Basics 2 (6 hours) Colour Wheel Basics 3 (6 hours) Colour Wheel Basics 4 (6 hours) Applique Basics (6 hours) Foundation Piecing (6 hours) Quilt Labels (6 hours) Quilt Binding (6 Hours). There are no time limits between start and finish and the LQS tracks your courses for you. You can also take the courses just cause you want to, rather than only those who are working towards their "degree".
What with no children in 2004 and a 6yo boy and 3 yo girl now, I am registered for Foundation Piecing next Saturday and then Quilt Labels on June 16th and I will finally be finished!!!!
They do also do a "Master's Degree" of much more advanced courses where there are a few required courses and then a bunch of courses that you choose from in order to total a certain number of hours of class. I've started that one already too.
I am loving my courses and am sooooo excited with finally finishing my "degree" after seven years.
Tara