Originally Posted by laurac

what would we do with our time away from work if we didn't quilt, crochet, embroidery, etc?
we don't want these to be lost arts. my mom started sewing, crocheting and knitting when she was about 9 years old. my sisters and i started making all our own clothes by age 13-14. we even made coats, bathing suits, curtains, etc.
i don't make clothing for myself anymore but i still love the feel of fabrics and yarn and love to accomplish something special.

Originally Posted by Maride

I learned to crochet and knit at the age of 7. I had a little sewing machine when I was ten. It was plastic and hand crank operated. It made a chain stitch. My grandma taught me to do button hole stitches very early also. At the age of 17 I only owned clothes made by myself. The summer before my senior year I spent it sewing. I stopped for a while and when I was pregnant of my son I sent out to DMC for a little Koala bear that came with Aida, thread needle, a pattern and instructions to learn to cross stitch. I now have a huge collection of patterns, threads and fabrics, all in storage. In 2001 a friend asked me to finish a cross stitch. I did and for the payment I asked for quilting classes. After 2 classes I was hooked and went on my own. The rest is history.

Originally Posted by deema

I learned to crochet as a child, but never did much with it aside from simple baby blankets. I got my first sewing machine three years ago, and didn't do much with that, either, until the end of August this year when I decided I wanted to make a quilt. I had NO idea what making a quilt entailed, nobody in my family sews or quilts outside of basic mending...I just wanted to make a quilt. And so, an addiction is born... :lol:

Originally Posted by Born2Sew

I do think it's something in our blood. I love to sew, have loved sewing since I was a little girl. My Mom, however, hates anything to do with a sewing machine. My Dad's mother, and all of his sisters sewed. One sister worked for Singer for years. Unfortunately, none of them lived close enough to me to teach me anything. When my paternal grandmother passed away, dad inherited her machine because he had bought it for her. A Pfaff 130.

I would beg for fabric every time we went to town. Starated out making aprons for my other grandmother. That was something I could come up with without a pattern. Then I took home ec and learned a little more there.

I didn't sew much after I first got married until a good friend of ours made my husband a western shirt. He went on and on and on and on....ooing and awing over it. I thought, I can do that just as good as she can! So, I bought my first machine and started making his shirts. For years he didn't have a store bought shirt. I saved all of my scraps for years and finally decided to make quilts with them, so here I am. I don't have the room to really lay out fabric to cut out clothes. But, I can cut out quilt pieces, so at the moment I've having fun with quilting.

Originally Posted by mzsooz

I was 6. I got a cute little kids Electric Singer for Christmas and my dad taught me how to sew troll doll clothes and barbie clothes. I've never stopped sewing. :D

Originally Posted by justflyingin

This is an interesting angle. Does anyone know what an hour of therapy costs at a psychologist or a psychiatrist (for those who need medicine) Isn't it about $100/hour?

That actually buys quite a bit of fabric. Our husbands should be GRATEFUL for our habit! ;0

Originally Posted by Darlene

No one in my family sews but me. My mom did sew when we were young but didn't later on. She did crochet and do some needlework. I am the only crocheter in my family. My brother's daughter does crochet some. The first Christmas we were married my DH bought me a sewing machine and I have had one ever since - 46 years.