I wanted to make quilts for years because I loved those my grandma made. I made one about 20 years ago and it took me years to get it done. Then I waited until I retired and started again. I too may not be the fastest, but I am enjoying the process and have really enjoyed my retirement because of the quilting. Enjoy the day....

What a wonderful hobby, activity, to be involved in since retirement. I have enjoyed quilting since the 50's. Didn't get so involved with it as I am now. My advice is to get involved with a group that quilts for charity. You can only make so many quilts for yourself and friends. Your creativity will flourish with each quilt you make. Each year since 2005 I have made over 100 quilt tops for my charity. Kids quilts are my specialty. Thinking of each child that might get my quilt, I try to incorporate clever things that children can feel, look at, and snuggle. I am 82 and still going strong.

Ditto here mardilee, I'm 72 & getting my first LA too. Can't take $$ with you!! LOL

I started quilting when I retired (yea!!!) and found that I tend to "hurry" my quilting thus making a lot of mistakes. Just enjoy your time with your fabrics. I'm trying to learn to slow down. LOL

If you love quilting you will NEVER live long enough to make all the quilts you want to, so make the ones you really like and enjoy the journey! Don't waste time and energy worrying about what you might not live long enough to do!

I'm also in the "starting late in life" boat. A dear friend had tried for years to get me interested in quilting, and tho I admired the quilts she made, I felt I didn't have the time, what with working full time, raising a family and enjoying gardening, crochet, cross stitch, garment sewing and innumerable other hobbies. It wasn't until she roped me into going with her to the Road to California quilt show that I fell in love. That was last year when I was 65. My DH bought me a Janome Horizon for Christmas (I made my first 2 quilts on my old Singer Diana) and I have been enjoying my new hobby since then. I am very slow, but enjoy the whole process. Am trying to get my FMQ to look presentable, and am giving myself til the end of the year to make the decision to get a Sweet 16. I have learned so much from this board, and if I don't want to bother my quilting friend with my 100's of questions, I sit down and enter my question in the search box. I have yet to come away without an answer.

Do what I've been doing! Wanting to try a new block and another new block and "Oh I want to try this or make this."
Go ahead. I've got the beginnings of a sampler. None of the blocks are the same size. They're all in a UFO box. I have lived longer than my mother and not as long as my grandmothers but have had a heart attack, breast cancer and I know of other ladies in my line of work as a realtor who are in their late 80s and been through the wringer. My neighbor down the street is legally blind and been through it all and still quilts. She's 88. I didn't really start quilting til about 10-12 years ago and then for only a couple years. Then started back up again a little bit. Just downloaded a couple patterns this morning but it might be next year before I get to them. It's up to you whether you want to or not. you might be almost done with a project and the man upstairs decides he needs you and to let someone else carry on with your quilt.

My daddy died at age 38, while I was 6-1/2, then my mother died at age 48, while I was 24. So neither of my parents reached 50. When Frank proposed to me I was 42, and I told him I didn't expect to live long because of my parents early deaths, but here I am 80 now, and in fairly good health. My husband just turned 89, and his only problem is arthritis and back pain.

I am almost 69 and working on my first quilt but have been sewing for 55 years, so now it is more a matter to time and lack of space, but I will get there. I am lucky I am able to look at patterns and pretty much figure many of them out. Get that from my grandfather.

I have been quilting for over 30 years, (I'm 80 now) and still there is no end to the ones that I want to make.