amandasgramma

My grandmother was a home-ec teacher....she was always sewing (lived right behind us). Though I didn't sew much!!! When my daughter was born, I took a Stretch N Sew class -- and off I went! Then after the kids were gone, I almost stopped completely. Three years ago, DH bought me a Janome after I saw it in a shop --- the new techniques for quilting had been hooked!!!!

Mariposa

As a kid, my maternal grama taught me to crochet and do embroidery. I tinkered in other stuff, but at age 22 I bought myself a machine and a sewing kit, ordered two quilt kits, and taught myself to quilt. Haven't looked back!

Lori S

I think my obsession started very early before the age of 10. I made almost all of my own clothes by 14 but before that I was making some clothing. But the trips to the fabric store .. at that time JC Penneys was "the " place to go for fabric. It was the only place my mom just let us wander.. and we would call for her if we ( me and my sisters) if there was a particular bolt that we all just had to see and touch. I think we could have spent hours there , it seemed like paradise. We would find a fabric and imagine what it could become. I still have that feeling when I find a great fabric store... .now I wish my sisters and Mom lived closer so we could share in the vision of what fabrics might become.

sueisallaboutquilts

Wow, I'm a late starter! I always loved doing crafts as a child but nothing with fabric. In high school the lady I babysat for taught me how to knit and I fell in love with it.
I knitted in college. Then I learned crewel and embroidery, then cross-stitch. I started sewing when my first son was born. I HATED sewing before that! What a funny memory! My Mom and my bf's Mom signed us up for a summer sewing class in high school and we never even went! (What brats lol)
We made believe we went but we just goofed around taking walks and stuff like that.
Most of my family does not sew. In fact I'm the only one!
And I can't stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

lclang

I found an old long shuttle sewing machine up in our haymow when I was probably eight or ten. I asked my mom if she could make it work and she climbed up there and cleaned and oiled and adjusted that old machine so that it ran pretty good. It was a hot place to sew in the summer heat but I didn't even notice because I was so busy sewing doll clothes. After I married I made clothing for my kids, shirts for my husband, did upholstery for his antique cars, and learned to quilt. I also crochet and knit. It has been a wonderful ride and I wouldn't change it for anything.

scraphappydenise

My DH knows why I quilt... It's my therapy, and he agrees, he probably coudn't afford the other kind, if he ever took my machines away from me.... LOL

My mom sewed,(I remember sewing buttons to fabric when I was 4 or 5) and two of my three sisters sewed too. In HS and college, just about everything I wore was made by me. I worked in fabric stores, loved to help others create their own fashions.... Dad bought us a ping pong table one year at a second hand shop. I don't think we hardly ever played ping pong, but two of us could cut out patterns at the same time. SOmetimes there would be 3 sewing machines all humming along in the basement at the same time! good memories....

I used to tailor my own jackets, and coats... enjoyed the process all the way.... I took my first "quilting class" in 1974, with my sister in law. We've both been quilting ever since.... I don't make my own clothes anymore, in fact i've gotten rid of all my patterns.... *none of them would fit me anymore anyway).... and if it's not quilting fabric, I got rid of it too! my stash is 100% quiltable....

mzsooz

I was 6. I got a cute little kids Electric Singer for Christmas and my dad taught me how to sew troll doll clothes and barbie clothes. I've never stopped sewing. :D

justflyingin

This is an interesting angle. Does anyone know what an hour of therapy costs at a psychologist or a psychiatrist (for those who need medicine) Isn't it about $100/hour?

That actually buys quite a bit of fabric. Our husbands should be GRATEFUL for our habit! ;0

leatheflea

jsutflyingin, 8 years ago when I divorced i went to a therapist $92 an hour. He sent me to an actual shrink $180 an hour for him to tell me I was not crazy that my husband was an ass. Which was something I already knew, LOL. About 6 months after we split up is when I started my first full size quilt. It has been good therapy for me also. But I went to the therapist once a month and the shrink every other month. I've been looking over my sewing spending for the last six months and I think the shrink might have been cheaper..LOL. Dont tell DH.

I love hearing everyones stories, would love to hear more.

MerryQuilter

A junior in high school. Lol we have the same DNA sistah!