Judi,
Welcome from Maryland. I am technically a "professional" quilter since I have been paid to hand quilt for other people. I don't consider myself any kind of expert. I began quilting when I was 16 or so. I didn't actually meet another quilter until at least ten years later. I actually had the nerve or stupididty to enter a quilt in the quilt contest for the 100th birthday of the Statue of Liberty. My husband was kind enough to take me to New York to see the exhibit. I was blown away. I had never seen such work. I was embarassed that I actually had the nerve to send them photos of my work. I had never taken a class before then. I still take few classes and am basically self taught. I do now belong to two guilds. I don't usually enter any kind of competions because as long as I am happy with my work other people's thoughts on my work can't bother me. I make a lot of chairity quilts just to use up some of my enormous stash. It gives me the opportunity to make something from fabrics I really didn't need to purchase. My greatest claim to fame is that I usually finish what I start. I have lots of fabrics waiting for a project but no UFOs.