A great question indeed QuiltE!
My mom had always had a sewing machine, and I have very fond memories of my grandmother at her old Singer. In fact, my grandmother made my wedding dress!
I took my first sewing class in Home Economics in the 9th grade. I took more classes in High School, even took a tailoring class (we had to make a suit). I remember making those straight skirts that we wore in high school with 1 yard of wool fabric, of course we had to line the seat with a taffeta type material (don't remember what it was really). It was the era also of those full gathered skirts with tons of petticoats to make them stand out. Gosh what memories! I remember making those full skirts too. My best friend's mom use to make her circular skirts. I just thought they looked so great, but was too young at the time to make them my self. I remember embroidering at a young age. I did pillow cases for the house!
My quilting began with an ad in a local paper about a quilting class at a high school at night in around 1978. I was looking for a new hobby, and had a 1962 Singer that I bought new when I started working. I had made most of my work clothes, and also clothes for my niece. I decided to take that quilting class, not knowing what I was getting myself into!
This teacher made us learn the "old fashion" way. We made templates out of cereal box type cardboard. Then traced around the template and cut outside the lines. We sewed on the line. This was a sampler quilt. This was before rotary cutters! I remember my first quilt was not at all straight, but I was so proud of it. The next quilt I made was just like Mirabelle- the Log Cabin by Eleanor Burns. I made several of those quilts! I took another high school class that was a hand quilting class, again a sampler quilt. I still have that quilt, it turned out beautiful in those orange, gold and brown colors that were so popular back then. I aught to take a photo and post it, you all would get a kick out of it!
I did not quilt for about 10 years (was too busy with 6 kids and working full time), except if I wanted to make a quilt for a niece or nephew's graduation, or a baby quilt and did not start again until 4-5 years ago. I have taken one day classes occasionally since then on various methods.
Last edited by JeanieG; 04-29-2014 at 10:07 PM.