No, I learned to sew from my mother, at 6 she bought me a pot holder kit to embroider, then sew together, then she started me on aprons (without a pattern), as well as gathered skirts. Mom never learned how to sew from a pattern, didn't have many patterns when she was raising my brothers before, during and after the Depression, she just made it up as she went along. Then, when I got to high school, the principal thought freshmen girls weren't old enough to have home ec., but I had home ec the remaining 3 years of high school. I didn't have much money, so I didn't make any fancy clothes, but practical cotton - at 50 cents/yard, but made all my clothes from then on, into my early 20's. Took a break for a few years, then started again and made a lot of my daughter's clothes. Now it's mainly quilting, although with a 15 month granddaughter, I think I might make a few pretty dresses and play clothes. I think I would go insane if I couldn't quilt or sew, I love it that much.