My mother and grandmother always sewed our clothes and made our quilts. I never saw a bought blanket till I was old enough to sleep over with friends. Even though I was born and raised in California, my family were from Oklahoma and had done the "Grapes of Wrath" thing in the early 1940's. I learned to tie quilts as a child and to sew as a young teen. I continued to sew as a mother but to me it was always work, not something one did for fun.
Later after my children left home, I became a crafter, but sewing did not reenter the picture, except for mending, hemming, curtain making, etc.
My husband's family are all very handy and crafty and artistic, so whenever I got to be around them, I would marvel at the wonderful things they created. For many years, we lived far from them, so our times together were limited. Finally, we were able to settle in Upstate New York near his family, and spend much more time with them. Due to the encouragement of his wonderful mother and 4 sisters, I discovered many talents of my own that lay hidden. After my beloved MIL passed away, we decided to have a "sisters" crafting get-together once or twice a year to help us stay bonded the way Ma had always done. We had many crafts to choose from at these week long retreats, and I always opted out of any that involved sewing. That was still WORK to me. I loved beading, painting, etc. But sewing? No thanks! Slowly, (I like to say) they dragged me kicking and screaming, into trying a quilted potholder. Then a tablerunner. Next I made pillowcases. Then there was a mystery project, which turned out to be quilted blocks. I began to love and collect the fabrics. I often started things at the retreats that I never finished. One SIL, Jackie, decided that getting me to finish something was the key, so that became her project. And it worked. I was so proud of finishing the table runner! And I loved the stack and whack project from year before last so much that I made enough blocks that I had completely pieced a queen sized top before the week was out. And I finished it after I got home!!!! I'm still slow about doing things. I have chronic pain issues with a neck and shoulder injury and fibromyalgia. But I can't stop buying fabrics and so I have to sew or I'll have to add on a fabric shed next. LOL My next project is a quilt for my grandson in oranges, blues and greens... his choices, not mine, but I'm sure it will be great, I'll use gray for bindings, bands if I have them and backing. I'm thinking of the Mango Tango pattern but perhaps with banding.