OMGosh...me too. Pre everything. No templates, no rotary cutters, no paper piecing, no nothing. Had to do it all. That's why I was slower in quilting full time. Still do some things the old way like hand quilting but love the new cutting methods. Whew. Now that was years ago....well...maybe not so many....well ok...I'm there with ya'll. :):)

I made my first quilt (baby) in 1965/1966 for my second child a Daughter. My Mom told and showed me what she knew how to do. She had made tops, never finished them into a quilts. I waited several years to get back into it. I bought some of the first quilter's Newsletters. When I started machine quilting about eight years ago I really picked up steam. Made lots of them hand quilting, lots,lots more machine quilting.

I've been quilting off and on since 1980. My very first quilt was a king size double irish chain quilt I made for my mom and dad for Christmas one year (before my husband and I had children of course). Back then, seems like I had all the patience in the world to sit and cut out all those 1 1/2" blocks and sew them all together to make this beautiful quilt. Now I'm getting ready to make another double irish chain and wonder how I did it w/o the rotary cutter. This one I'm making for my 25 year old son and his wife.

My father died 10 years ago at which time my mom gave the quilt back to me. Just last month, I gave it to my 28 year old daughter as a birthday gift. She loves it!

Didn't start quilting until I took my first quilt class in 1991or 92. So I have not used anything but a rotary cutter. Before quilting, I made clothes for myself and my children. I did make by hand about 100 yo-yos for a pillow front, then said never again and went out with my Joann's coupons and started buying the yo-yo makers!

I started in 89 and the rotary cutter I think was here!! I did use templates for my first quilt however. :lol: :D :lol:

Actually my rotory cutting years began 2007 and because my brand new cutting mat is as bad as the old one I am back to using, ruler, markers and shears. The one finished, a storm at sea queen, and a carpenter's star throw, have all been done sans rotory cutter.

One, log cabin then busy raising 4 little ones that got back in after RC

One, log cabin then busy raising 4 little ones that got back in after RC

not me i have only been quilting for about 4 yrs. but my mama made huge quilts. i never saw her cut, so i guess i was at school. she had the frames that hung from the ceiling and they rolled up so you could walk under them. i said huge but they were probably full size since what beds we had!!!

I must admit I look back to those days in amazement and wonder how I ever stuck with it... It's so much easier today! Thank goodness!