Buckeye Rose

I learned to sew from my mother at age 9 for 4-H projects. I remember being very fussy and pulling threads to get on the straight grain.....wow....sometimes I wish I had the time to be fussy now.

MargeD

My mother taught me to sew and do embroidery. She told me my stitches were very tiny like my great-grandmother's. I remember embroidering a pot holder in first grade. Mom would buy pillowcase tubing or pre-printe pillowcases and I would embroider them. I started making aprons when I was about 8 or 9 with no pattern. We had a family friend called Aunt Kate who sewed quilts, patchwork aprons that looked like an upside down tulip (I'm trying to duplicate this from memory, but I'm having a hard time), as well as clothespin hangers that looked like dresses. Mom couldn't read a pattern, so I had to wait until my sophomore year of high school to take Home Ec. Apparently the principle thought that freshmen girls weren't old enough for Home Ec. I was the Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow in my senior year and made it to the final 10 candidates. I made all of my own clothes, even after leaving high school. I took a break for a few years, then gradually picking it up again. I taught myself to quilt using a Georgia J. Bonesteal Lap quilting video and her Spinning Spools pattern and templates that came in two binders. I finally took a quilt class and learned to machine quilt and I've been doing it ever since for over 25 years. Quilting keeps me sane for the most part, I have made dozens of baby quilts to give away, raffle quilts for church and then started making family reunion quilts about 12 or 14 years ago, can't remember how many. Hubby and I are "retired" on SS, although he gets disability, so I had to purge a lot of my fabric when we moved to an apt., but I stiill plan to make quilted items and try to sell them at craft shows on online.

papillon

I was also tought by my mum , she tought herself during the war years , she lived in England and had 3 young ones to clothe , she would get coupons to go to a trade place , where they were given tickets to exchange for second had clothes.She would get mens coats and cut the down to make coats for the children, all by hand. When it came time to usize the coats she would get a good amount of coupons back , her sewing was so beautiful.My dad saw how well she did and bought her her first mchine as soon as he could get one .I was born in 52 , and as far as I can remember mum made clothes for 5 of us and herself.The first thing I made for my self was a shift type dress, with a frill around the bottom, and a hair band to match , I was about 8.I started with a treddle machine , and got my first janome for my 16 th birthday from my dad.I have recently been delighted to show my 8 year old grand daughter Annaleise how to make a skirt, I gave her a small Brother maching I got with free rewards points ,she quickly took it up to her room so her younger siblings could not get their hands on it.

All 6 of my grands have loved to sit on my knee while I was sewing .

Debra Mc

My gm & my mother about age 6. USed machine & hand sewed.

donnalynett

My Mom taught me to sew when I was nine. We made all my clothes.

hobo2000

My grandmother, who raised me, was a well known dressmaker in St. Louis. Ladies would bring pictures of the dress or suit they liked and grandmother would make it to match the picture. She insisted that I learn to embroider, knit and crochet from about 4 years old on. Every afternoon, we had our stitching hour. I loved working with beads and was very good at it and grandmother had me do designs which she would put on elegant jackets and suit coats as was the style in the late 40's. She made my clothes clear up into my married years while I made my children's clothes. I have always sewed for my home.

tazzyjj

I knew my grandma quilted..but she would not let us kids near her sewing room...but teaching me was my cousin in the year 2000... :?

adorabowe

Hmm.. still in the process of teaching myself. Youtube and the quilt board have made pretty good mentors though!

slk350

I remember my Mom teaching some very basic sewing on a Singer threadle. I remember making doll clothes (I loved playing with dolls). I think I was around 10. Then my close friends Mom taught me some, and also how to knit.I think there might have been years I didn't sew until Home Ec in HS. I always remember sewing since then. After getting married I made clothes for my kids and really got into quilting when my youngest was in elementary school. Even that has been on and off. My first sewing project was hand sewing an apron in Brownies.

mmdquilts

My mom taught me to sew everything from aprons to wedding gowns. Grandma taught me to knit and crochet. And a very old lady in Canada at camp taught me to quilt by hand. Taught myself machine quilting. Most lessons took place over 40 years ago!