This is a wonderful thread. I really enjoyed reading everyone's stories of how they got started making quilts and just had to add my own. I just started last fall, when my 84-year old mom wanted to quilt a top that her deceased sister had made. She asked me if I could mark it, because that is what my aunt did for her. I had no clue what it meant, even less how to do it, so I went to Joann's and purchased an encyclopedia of quilt blocks and a reference on learning how to quilt. I didn't even have a working machine, so I asked for one for Xmas from my DH. I wound up making Mom a Sunbonnet Sue and Sam lap quilt for her to quilt and had my aunt's quilt done by a pro, since Mom treasures the quilt her sister made. We didn't have enough fabric for the quilt back so I had to piece that too. Less than a year later, my favorite thing to do now is to visit fabric stores. I already have a stash built up with fabric, quilt books and patterns and all the tools and equipment I could ever use, and even upgraded to a Babylock. I love the creativity of selecting fabrics and hope to get to the point where I can design my own quilts on my EQ7. I got the fever.... LOL