Being in cold Idaho for three months, when my hubby and I worked different shifts and I was away from family and friends and couldn't do much outdoors, decided while I am spending my time alone indoors, might as well be productive:) a quilt shop nearby was advertising beginner quilting series and I signed up!!! And here I am today, making excuses to stay indoors and quilt, lol.

My co worker also got me started in telling me that I could do it. Working in a fabric dept and hearing what our customers are making is also encouraging.
Now I encourage others and love to teach the very beginners with tips and ideas.

I thought I could use up all of the scraps from garment sewing since I was a kid. How silly of me. LOL Now I have a huge stash of cottons AND the remains of 30 years of regular sewing.

Diana

Many years ago, I saw a program on TV - dont even remember which program it was. They made a "fan" quilt and I loved it! I thought, I can do that, so I made the quilt... not knowing what the heck I was doing... First time I washed it, it basically fell apart... LOL
Forgot about that craft for many years, then about 15 yrs ago, we were looking at a house to buy. All the beds had quilts on them. I re-discovered my passion and have been quilting ever since - - BUT, this time I follow directions and do it right... :)

I dabbled a bit for about two years. Then my Mom started to 'decline' - altzheimers and physically, too - and couldn't be left home alone anymore. We didn't want to put her in a nursing home, I wasn't working, so my husband and I became her caretakers for the last 6 months of her life.

I needed something to do!!! during the day. So I hunted around in our junk closet, found my old Montgomery Ward sewing machine which was given to me in the 1970's, and hardly used. I got it up and running, ordered 2 kits from Connecting Threads, and kept myself busy for several months. Most of that time was trying to figure out what I was doing, but it hooked me. Two of my grandsons got those quilts for Christmas 2010.

My Mom used to quilt - while I was learning,she'd say things like, "I've forgotten more than you'll ever know about quilting." (She didn't say it to be mean; she said it because it was true.) She helped with color choice and enjoyed looking at the work in progress - and was able to give me hints here and there.

At first, my husband was delighted. I finally had a hobby. Then he found out how much this hobby costs!!!!

Always sewed, garments, home dec, accessories etc, but never quilted. Purchased fabric for a quilt on vacation on a whim (was with a friend who quilted). Fabric sat for 6 years and last year I finally decided it was time. I was surprised to find I really, really liked it!

I never reallly thought about it much before, but today I got a thank you note from my mom for the Spicy Spiral I gave her for Christmas.

In it, she mentioned the 4-H leader I had for many years, Mildred Magee. How that woman (and her husband!) put up with several girls descending on their home every Saturday, I'll never know.

We never did a quilt, but in addition to cooking and woodworking, did do a lot of garment construction. When I first decided to do a quilt, in the early 80's, I had long since stopped 4-H (the club disbanded with our graduation as we were all in the same class with Mrs. Magee's younger daughter). No rotary cutters, no acrylic templates. Cardboard, a pencil and scissors with fabric from K-Mart!

Lol, I gave myself permission to pitch that WIP a few years back. Couldn't stand the nasty blue poly-blend fabric. But what I learned in 4-H will be with me forever.

I hope your memories of 4-H also stick with the girls I taught both crocheting and tatting. I do not know that they still do it but I can hope. At that time I didn't teach sewing but am thinking about it for the future for these kids.

I was inspired a lot of years ago just from seeing quilts so lovely. I started on 2 and then my DH moved us and it was put away. I have wanted to do quilts for ages but just never had the time until DH decided he didn't want to move anymore and retired. Couple yars ago I met a gal who done a lot of artistic quilting and she had them hanging all over her house. I was forever admiring them and then decide it was time to finish that long ago quilt I had started. Can't stop now. I did loose my DH a couple years ago so the quilting was a blessing in diguise for it kept me too busy to feel sorry for myself. I feel I am still very much a beginner but learning is something on going. Fabrics are wonderful and working on a bright and cheerful quilt is next to heaven........well as I imagine it!