FMQ is great! Requires planning, artistic design & hand-eye coordination. Probably one of the better things to learn to exercise the brain & it's super fun, too. Plus, we quilters have all these unique terms that are practically a different language (learning a new language is supposed to be the best way to stave off Alzheimer's & dementia).

A friend of mine is 89 and she has been learning to free motion quilt on a long arm at a quilt shop.

Darned if I'm telling anyone how old I am, but I've lived past the age of any of the women in my family who came before me, except for one contrary great aunt. I am very shaky on FMQ, but the whole process of making a quilt excites me. It's the thought of making a quilt by hand that I find daunting.

Unfinishedbusiness, you have my admiration! I view elderly and old as two different groups.

At age 75, I decided to learn how to quilt. Five years later, I am so excited with this new hobby! I work on quilting every spare minute. While my free motion quilting isn't the greatest, it gets better each time. I strongly encourage you to take up free motion quilting. By the way, I find FMQ very relaxing.

Yeah for you! 70 is the new 50! There are 70 year olds in my guild that don't like anything new. They are real drags when it comes to enjoying quilt programs and lord forbid someone demos a new ruler when an old beat up scratched ruler will do the same thing if you turn it just right. LOL

One by one, I hope you're not describing me!
Bree123, I am way past 70 and relatively new to quilt, but I don't consider age a hindrance except the thought of starting a quilt with tiny pieces. My only advice would be to not work at for too long a period of time. Start with an hour and work your way up. Just think of it as writing your name without moving your hand - by moving the paper, LOL. Look where you're headed and have at it.

I just started to FMQ in the past year or so. I decided I could not afford to pay 2 cents a inch. I am not to good yet but I have started to improve. I am 74. I have been sewing for 61 years nonstop. I have been quilting for about 8 years now. I love the whole thing and make lots of Items. Keep up the good work and don't ever give up and you will stay young. My Mother just turned 100 in August.

YES, Totally agree! I am over 70 and just took up quilting since I retired. Just got back from a quilt retreat on Lake Superior with 40 other quilters and one of the sweetest quilters just turned 80. Just hoping I can go when I am 80 and have her sweet disposition!

You should definitely go for it. The main reason is because you want to & another is because it is a good exercise for the brain. The more you do the better it looks too. I do a little FMQ & I'm far from good but I have lots of fun.