I have been sewing as long as I can remember. I learned from my mother and both grandmothers. None of them quilted. I was married young and by the time I was 20, I had two babies of my own. We moved to Texas where my now X was stationed at Ft. Hood. I was a stay at home mom and the days were long. My DD was ready for a "big girl" bed and I decided to make a quilt for her. I used fabric paints on the blocks and when I pieced it, I used 5/8 seam allowances. I wrote to my grandmother and told her about it and sent a picture. She surprised me with a subscription to Quilters Newsletter Magazine for my birthday. I read it cover to cover and learned so much. I have been quilting since. My daughter still has her quilt (she's 36) and I still subscribe to Quilters newsletter Magazine.