I have always stitched. Never took a "home ec" class until my senior year when I took Family Living. really ticked the teacher off as I was already sewing and cooking for the family without her help. Then I won the "Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow" award at the school which REALLY irked her. Nothing on the quilting front until about 12 years later when I decided I was going to make a quilt. I first bought a pattern and made a baby quilt on the machine for my nephew. That went ok..just following a pattern so I decided I was going to hand stitch one for myself.. I picked out fabrics and couldn't find a Grandmothers fan with the right number of spokes so I drafted it myself and sat down and stitched the top. I had lots of trims so I added those to each fan. LOL.. No one ever told me it was difficult or that I needed a class... and I've been doing it my way ever since.. the only classes I've attended are those I've taught, or helped teach.