My mom tried to teach me to sew, but didn't have the patience and it was frustrating for both of us....but I spent my summers from age 14 up at my aunt and uncles house...would help prune Christmas trees during the mornings, and afternoons were either spent at the beach or learning how to sew from my Aunt Dorothy....who was an excellent seamstress, and also knew a lot of shortcuts that she passed on to me. That was a good thing, but it made it really hard when I went to college, and the teacher there didn't allow shortcuts, which was frustrating and I dropped out of sewing class there.
I am mostly a self taught quilter....took one afternoon class through our Embroider's guild, was hooked immediately and bought a couple of books and kept learning....and then teaching others.
Can't imagine my life without quilting...or cooking which my mom was able to do.