I sewed my own clothing as a teenager & my sister got me into quilting when I retired from teaching in 1996. My 1st quilts were from reading books & I remember an Eleanor Burns video. My sister insisted that I take a class & I found that I knew more than the quilting instructor "about teaching". There were girls in the class who did not even know how to thread a machine. Yet, we would just watch a demonstration & then were supposed to go home & make that "sampler" block on our own. I'm sure I was the only one who completed that quilt. So, when I later taught sewing at a sew ' vac shop, I would start beginners with a pot holder or baby/lap quilt so that I made sure they completed the whole process of making a quilt. Many of the books are so very well illustrated & you follow the directions - one step at a time - you will be fine.

Never took a lesson, started quilting when Alex Anderson had Simply Quilts on HGTV. She had so many great people doing step by step, so I watched took note and did..To bad most of the quilt shows are gone now

Self-taught, but after spending hours playing with cousins under the quilt frame (hung from eye hooks screwed into the ceiling) at my grandmother's, I probably picked up a bit of instruction (and lots of community gossip. If we were quiet and still long enough, the moms/grandmoms would forget we were under there) --and I definitely got the quilting bug, but it didn't surface for several years. My grandmother had passed away by then. I know she would be proud of me though.

I want to go to one of those several-day workshops or maybe even go on a quilting cruise. Any advice on that?

Grandma taught me in the late 1930s, and I don't remember her
ever having a sewing machine.

I just found myself another tool, hunting through Michael's for a
Brother bobbin that they don't carry.

I discovered a neat little machine for about 30 dollars, a bobbin
winding help. Now I won't have to stop my sewing and take out
that almost impossible to thread needle thread and make up several
bobbins in the color I'm working on now.

Neat machine!

I got one of those "sidewinders," (bobbin winder) just last week. It was 30% off at Hancock's, and I'd been wanting one.

I started out on my own with no lessons but later in years I learned there were a lot I did not know, So I have taken Classes in Nashville, three times, and frommy quilt club. I do not waist as much material as I first did, and I had cardboard, templets, My Mother and Grandmother were quilters and hand quilted our quilts. I realy do love to quilt and give themto people that did not expect them.

My very first quilt was a friendship quilt, where several co-workers made blocks to share. We pieced them together in the arrangement of our choice. I did that on my own. Having watched Simply Quilts, I kinda knew my way around. (So I thought) Then I began buying books, watching more quilting shows (Alex, Georgia, Sue, and all the guests on those shows). Then I got into a few classes. And the rest is history. I still consider myself a beginner after 15 years.

Donna jean


wonderful quilts, great job.

donna jean,



I realy do like the sampler quilt , what is the pattern, for it.

I am also self taught started in 1981 and stopped for several years picked it back up...1990 and never stopped... have never taken a class... but I will this year ...I have been sewing each week with a group that sews quilt for soldiers and several of them are past teachers and have a lot of experience .i feel like I learn some new trick every week from them. It's been a year sewing with them. I am not sure I would be able to stay within the lines of a class but would like to try.