I think I must have been born with a needle and thread in my hand. I remember I had the treadle machine needle through my finger when I was 4. Apparently any time my Mum was sewing and left the machine unattended, I was right there trying to sew on it. My Gran was a dressmaker and told the story about me getting the scraps as she was cutting out, placing a doll on them and trying to trace around the doll with pencil as a very small toddler. This Grandmother was my Dad's mother and she always would give you her time to show you how to do whatever it was you wanted. I visited her lots as she was a widow and I had my own treadle machine to sew on whenever I was with her. I remember making dolls clothes for pocket money for some of her customers grandchildren at a young age.
At school we learned sampler hand sewing in third grade and progressed to sewing by machine in 7th and 8th grade. I started making my own clothes when I was 12. I did do Home Economics at high school and learnt to draft patterns as well as clothing sewing.
I progressed to patchwork and quilting when it was no longer the "in thing" for my daughter to have me make her clothes when she became a teenager.
Guess I will probably die as I was born...with a needle and thread in my hands.
I remember once when I had surgery and still in hospital, my daughter asked my husband about my progress. He replied that I was sitting up in bed, hand sewing, so I must have been doing fine. My daughter replied that the fact that I was sewing was no indication as she was sure I would be sewing if on my death bed.
My great grandfather on my Mum's side was a saddler and with dressmakers on my Dad'side, I guess I have stitching in my genes.