My story is very different! I was terrible at sewing in Home Ec in high school -- we made a skirt and I never finished it. My sister was quite a seamstress -- made lined jackets and other clothes. About 6 years ago a friend of mine at work was wearing the cutest ties and shirts that he embroidered himself. My husband had just bought his second or third old motorcycle and I decided I wanted an embroidery machine. So, I bought a BabyLock Ellageo. As it turns out, I don't really enjoy doing embroidery with it and now use the embroidery feature pretty much to put names on the rag blankets I've made. I was about 47 or 48 when I bought the machine. I've made about 70 rag blankets and have pieced some borders to go on panels and then did FMQ to finish. I've also done some applique. Working up my nerve to piece the first whole quilt.