When and how did you start quilting? Tell us your stories!

I first started quilting about 30 years ago. The teacher I had was a purist. Everything was by hand. NO SEWING MACHINES. We had to hand piece and hand quilt everything. No wonder I only got a sampler done. It didn't take me long to jump on the sewing machine when I was out of class. Raising triplets kept me busy and away from quilting for a while. Kids raised so it was back to quilting for me. I had lots of tops done with the hopes of someday hand quilting them. I still had that hand quilted thinking going on in my head.
I went to a quilt show a while back and 60% of the quilts were just tops. I couldn't believe my eyes. I was under the theory that it wasn't a quilt until it was quilted. Out of the completed quilts 30% were machine quilted and 10% hand done.
I didn't want my tops to end up unfinished. I gave myself permission to get them machine quilted and I'm so happy I did. Now they can be used and cherished. I love the long arm quilter I use. She is a sweetheart.
Someday I hope to have a long arm of my own. In the meantime I'm grateful for the talent of those who do.
Thanks for posting this tread. I've been thinking about sharing my story for a while. I love the inspiration I get here.

My first "quilt" wasn't actually quilted. I made it in 1979 to cover a ceiling in the living room of an old Hawaiian home that dripped detritus(cockroach crud etc.) I started with a center square and sewed strips on the sides then top/bottom till it was big enough to cover the room. I learned years later(2005?) that this is a form of log cabin blocks. I've sewn many more of those OBW's since then and also sew them when I want to relax with an "easy-to-sew" quilt. No pins, mindless sewing etc. I'll post pix later when I figure out how to do that. Right now I'm just getting used to using the internet(believe it or not). LoL

Just last October! I saw a quilt my sister-in-law was working on, and thought, "I can do that!" She took me fabric shopping, and it was over...

My neighbor across the street (now deceased) got me into it. Although when I think of it, I actually did some quilting before that. When my grandchildren were born I made them flannel blankets out of squares of flannel, with a little batting and flannel on the back. I didn't call them quilts at the time. Then when my children moved into their new homes I made each of them a blanket (quilt?) out of flannel with fleece on the other side and hand tied together. My neighbor got me into place mats and table covers quilted.

Wanted to quilt from way back when I was young. I was always starting crafts, but never stuck to any of them. One day, about five years ago, in a book store I found two quilt books. I called Hubster and asked if I could buy them (which to this day I think is silly, cuz I have my OWN bank account) His response was "will you actually finish something? How about you buy one and see how it goes." So I bought one. My first project was a block that became a pillow. I thought I was going to either pull all my hair out, or kill hubby who kept saying "it doesn't matter if it's a little off." First experience was horrible, but several years and quilts later, it is the only hobby that I have stuck with. It is my poison! Never did go back for that second book....

I have loved to sew since I was a teenager. Mostly home dec, costumes and some clothes. I saw a rag quilt that my aunt sent to my sister when she was in Iraq. I fell in love with rag quilts and made quite a few of them.

When we found out that DD was pregnant with DGS, she asked me to make him a Johne Deere quilt. I made her one with the Streak of Sunshine pattern from Quiltville. I was hooked after that.

I decided after I got laid off from work about 8 years ago that I was going to learn how to quilt. That is hand quilt.
I bought a book and gradually taught myself. My boyfriend made me a small quilt frame that you can quilt one block at a time on. I quilted my first quilt on it. I have since quilted some on regular sewing machine. I just bought a handi quilter and plan on trying my luck on it.

When my son (now 13) was 6 weeks old, I decided to spend the several days with my folks during my last week of maternity leave. They lived about 7 hours from me at the time. My step father was very ill and not expected to live much longer, but able to be home thru hospice. We were homebound with him and we just decided it would be a good time to teach me to quilt. We got out Quilt in a day Log Cabin book and went thru my Mom's stash and by the end of the day had a lap size quilt top. It was a new hobby I took back home with me. Bought my first inexpensive machine and I was in business!

I started quilting about six years ago. My daughter was taking a dance class and one of the other mothers brought her quilting with her. She was hand piecing and hand quilting a Dear Jane! I was fascinated with the entire process and decided to give quilting a try. My first quilt was an ugly mess, but I was hooked.