#1piecemaker

I taught myself how to quilt with the aide of my MIL whose eyesight was failing. She got me through the rough spots. But, I basicly took to it like a duck takes to water. I do however use the old methods with templates verses all the rulers and strip sewing.

EmiliasNana

My mom didn't sew a stitch, but my grandma did. She didn't quilt however, only tying wool whole cloth quilts for use in Wisconsin. Grandma did everything else however: crochet, rug hooking, embroidery, tatting (which she taught me), and made my doll clothes by hand, etc. When I was in grade school, I started making doll clothes for my Barbie and Skipper. No pattern, just cut and sew. They even had set in sleeves. Between 6th grade and Jr. Hi. my girlfriends mom taught us to make an A-line skirt. In Jr. Hi. and High School I took every home economics class
offered. In college I majored in Home Economics and made everything from bathing suits to dress coats. I like baking which probably was the attraction to my husband LOL, but sewing was always at the top of the list! I made clothes for our kids, smocked dresses for our daughter, did all sorts of needlework crafts throughout my life (starting with macrame LOL, counted cross stitch, knitting etc), made tied whole cloth quilts like grandma, but didn't quilt. I took a few "adult quilting classes" at a community college when my kids were little but didn't like the templates, hand piecing or quilting, even though I love to embroider. Go figure. My quilting only took off when I finally got a better machine and heard you could use a walking foot and actually quilt by MACHINE. When I lived alone in our retirement house for three years, waiting for my husband to actually retire, I quilted day and night. That was in 2009. One of the things I was taught that I can't eliminate, even though it adds bulk to my seams, is to backstitch at the beginning and end of a seam! I was a clothing sewer too long. I even do it on chain piecing. One thing I regret following was: never touch the bobbin tension! That prevented me from feeling comfortable using my serger. Once I took a serger class, probably in 2013, the serger finally was used and I got the courage to buy a Tiara mid-arm and constantly adjust the tension based on the thread used. Silly things but somethings are hard to shake. Now quilting is my passion!

KalamaQuilts

I was self taught, once shows started I could see where I needed to unlearn old habits.
To put the time and energy and money into a quilt, why not make it your best work?

Wanabee Quiltin

I took a 6 week quilt course about 10 years ago, my first experience with quilting but with over 40 years of sewing. I still follow everything I was taught, except I do not wash my fabric anymore (unless it bleeds on my test paper). I think sewing with a scant 1/4 seam, pressing all my seams and measuring my blocks are the most important things. I have learned much more from my magazines, the Q board and just being around quilters. I think it's really important to change your needles and blades quite often and to always keep your sewing machine spotless. I have 3 generations of carpenters in my family and I think the important thing I learned was 'measure twice, cut once'.

ShirlinAZ

I learned by Osmosis - watching my elders. My mother taught me to make clothes. I took Home Ec in high school, but was already a better seamstress than the teacher so I learned there was not only one way to do things. When I make quilts I just do what "feels right". Sometimes I do things one way and sometimes I do a different way.

sak658

I was taught by my mom, she made quilts for us while we were growing up, then did quilting for other people, hand quilting for $25 a quilt...I just took to it naturally, but really didn't get to going till '93, when we moved my mom down close to my sister and I...I was with her almost every day, and she was always piecing on a quilt top...then she passed away in 2004 at the age of 93....I was retired by then, so I started collecting my stash and the rest is History...

Geri B

All female members of my birth family were sewers, crocheters so I grew up thinking a sewing machine was part of the must haves when setting up housekeeping.... Learned on moms treadle, then bought my own electric when in high school with $$ from part time after school job..did not take home ec......mom, aunts, grandma could teach me all I needed to know about housekeeping......but none were quilters...I do remember fathers mother did yoyos, but that was the extent of it......after 20 yrs of marriage we moved to another locale and my neighbor was a prolific quilter...at first although I admired her work, thought.... No way....until one day bought a bag of 5" squares at a garage sale and a few nights. later, bored, went up to my " little attic" and began sewing them together- 5/8" seam allowance!-- but I still have it and my neighbor was so proud of me!..and the rest, as they say is history...devoured library books, bought mags, books, found Joann fabric, and still love learning new ways to do "olde" things. I enjoy cutting up the fabric and putting it back together differently.....but I have always loved and got the most satisfaction out of using my hands to "do" something..... And today, for example, how to "face" a quilt edge....!!!!

madamekelly

Always, always, always run thread for hand sewing through a chunck of beeswax! No tangles, no knots, and bonus, it actually helps the needle go through the fabric smoother.

Vera39760

I am pretty much self taught. My Mom taught me to sew clothes making doll clothes(which I still do) and then clothes for myself and my sisters. I '79 I was put to bed rest for about 6 weeks I was bored laying around and DH started cutting out hexagons for GMF. During the day I would sew the block together and at night he would cut the pieces for the next block. I didn't mark seam allowances, just eyeballed it. They fit together pretty good. I was finally allowed to be up. I had 3 young children and sewing time was taken up with making clothes. In the mid '80's I saw a double wedding ring and decided I had to make one. The pieces were cut out with templates. A few years later I bought a rotary cutter, mat and ruler. I haven't looked back. I've used a lot of books, TV now Internet and Craftsy. I will attempt and usually succeed at anything.

lisalovesquilting

So you fold it as you sew it on? Do you use a lot of pins?