My Mom was instrumental in teaching me to sew. She taught me to make aprons (without a pattern) and as I got older - taught me to make skirts - again without a pattern. There weren't many patterns available when she made clothes for my older brothers and my sister. I can't remember a time that she not not teach me whenever I asked her how to do something. My second mentor was my high school Home Ec. teacher who also had loads of patience. I can still vividly remember the time I put in a zipper and sewed it into the side seam. After patiently "unsewing" the zipper from the skirt, she spent over one hour teaching me the "correct"way to put in a zipper. I never had a problem putting a zipper into a garment after that lesson. She was always encouraging me to sew and I've made my own clothes as well as clothes for my kids for many, many years. I just wish she had seen those garments and then the many, many quilts I have made. All this because a home ec. teacher and my Mothef taught me the joy of sewing.