I started quilting in the 70's...learned with scissors and templates...would use cereal boxes, and milk bottles for plastic templates. It did take longer, but I didn't mind it at the time. When rotary cutters first came out, I had one on my Christmas list...and got one...and it sat in my drawer for months as I was so afraid to use it. The rulers I had at first were just strips of plexi class in different widths. Both rulers and cutters have come a long way!!!
I did a sampler quilt for my first quilt, and have done several other sampler type quilts over the years...still some of my favorite quilts...love doing the different blocks.