Wow there are wonderful stories here. I am so glad you started this thread.
My story is similar, yet quite different. I come from a long line of sewers. My fathers mother made quilts, and my mothers mother did upholstery. My Mother sewed all our clothes as kids. I was and still am a needle pointer with the occasional cross stitch piece thrown in. When my daughters were born I sewed some of their clothes but mainly made their Halloween costumes. One day at the fabric store looking for the next Halloween costume pattern, my youngest daughter saw a pattern for a quilt that had bunnies with floppy ears and floppy aprons. She fell in love with it. So, for my first ever quilt project I made it for her. (In retrospect, it was a far more difficult pattern than a beginner should ever attempt.) She is now 23 and still has it, though it's much the worse for wear. After that, I started making baby blankets for every one I know who had a baby. As time went on, I started making a few for myself, too. So, now I usually have a needlepoint and a quilt going at the same time. Beats being bored.