I grew up in a non sewing house. My mother patched dad's overalls (farmer) and when I was about 12 I found a piece of cordoroy fabric that I started cutting out a jumper. Well, didn't even know that there were pattterns out there. My mom sent me to an aunt and we found a pattern to make the arm hole of my jumper. I wore that jumper dress until it became a shirt (got taller not wider). On Christmas, when I turned 16, my dad bought me a sears kenmore machine (he hid it in the empty chicken house and had a small box filled with stitches that the machine would do under the tree) and made me open that little box last. I have sewed most of my clothes since then, my children's clothes, and even wedding dresses. Quilting came when I was 21 and now I am 55 and still doing it.