In the 50's, my mom went to a lot of seminars and took me (3-4 years old). She had made up a little suitcase from a cigar box and that little box held 32 different 3" squares. I would sit under the table and play with those squares laying them out in different designs. (those were my first quilts). I would be occupied with them for hours on end. There was a little boy there that had asked his mom for a pair of scissors and he whacked up all my squares. I remember sitting between my mom's legs crying quietly so I would not disturb her. She was so mad at that little boy and even madder at his mother for her cold response when she found out what he had done. I know I had made several small quilts for my doll beds and I did make several simple shirts and my dirndl skirts to match to start 1st grade. Yes, my mom was a home ec teacher.