Are you self-taught or lessons?

Sandy5689 · Post by **Sandy5689** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 6:04 am

I learned to sew in high school. Got a sewing machine for a wedding present 36 years ago and did some sewing in my early twenties. Then nothing until I decided to stay home and take care of my Mother. I was making blankets and basic quilts to give to the hospital and several things that my daughter decided she needed. Figured what the heck and took a class on basic quilting. I love it. I made a new friend and we are scheduled to take more classes this month

sadiedaisy1 · Post by **sadiedaisy1** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 6:45 am

My MIL taught me to sew (well besides the Home Ec class in 7th grade-but that had been long forgotten) and she bought me my 1st sewing machine. I made a quilt with her help, but she helps too much and doesn't make me "think" while I'm helping her. I took a quilt class using a QIAD book from a Jo Ann store and after that have learned techniques and other patterns on my own. I also took a paper piecing class and a machine quilting class. The classes are fun, but I hate lugging my machine and all the accessories so I don't sign up for many.

institcheswithrosie · Post by **institcheswithrosie** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 6:56 am

I've taken quilting classes, but I always mess up so badly in class I end up teaching myself the method later on. If the teacher is a member of the quilt police I'm in big trouble. Also, by teaching myself, I sometimes figure out other methods to do something that wasn't taught in class. These aren't new ways, just short cuts that almost everyone knows after time.

busylady · Post by **busylady** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:21 am

Self taught. When I was 6 my grandmother taught me how to emboirdary(my house and friends are filled with it). When I was 12 I taught myself how to sew a dress. And from there I went. My quilting started with all of my eboirdary squares I had to do something with them so I made a quilt that was long long time ago. I watched TV, studied magazines, and books and really like EL's shortcuts. I am like Debbie I would have to go to 90 to 100 miles away to take any lessons. Amarillo would be a good place!!!!!

rikster · Post by **rikster** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:37 am

100% self taught. Have never had a class or lesson. Started about 15 years ago watching El on TV.

Back when I went to school, guys were NOT allowed to take home ec. I think that's changed since my time.

Rick

Susie · Post by **Susie** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:43 am

Self taught...or I should say QIAD forum taught! I had never quilted before joining this site when it first started.
Susie

Irishgram · Post by **Irishgram** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 2:11 pm

My mother taught me how to sew...She made all my clothes from day 1...When I started 1st grade, she said, I could go 6 weeks without wearing the same dress twice...And the funny thing, she never used a pattern....
I decided about 15 years ago, I wanted to make a quilt...Didn't have a pattern, had no rotary cutter, really didn't know what I was doing but came up with a pattern, kept making those blocks and ended up with a king size that had to be hand quilted...I still put that 1st quilt on the bed for the winter.....

cindyg · Post by **cindyg** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 2:30 pm

I learned to sew clothing from my mother. The quilting I learned from following the instructions in magazines and books. I took one hand quilting class. Last year at the quilt show I took a class from Eleanor Burns but I was so in awe of her I didn't get much accomplished - LOL. I already knew the technique from watching her DVD's and TV shows - good thing.

Cathy32078 · Post by **Cathy32078** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 5:16 pm

I watched my Granny quilt when I was a young kid. I got started with the guidance of a neighbor. Then I started buying books, magazines and watching any TV Shows I could find about Quilting. The internet has been a great source of help. Lots of trial & error. Never taken a class.

Hugs & Love

morgans4 · Post by **morgans4** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:20 pm

I took lessons. My teacher gave us patterns, taught us how to change the sizes of our patterns from 1 size to another, helped us make color selections, and was there for us the whole time. I am glad I did it that way. It gave me confidence to continue when I did well, and she showed me how to correct the mistakes I did. The quilt turned out beautifully. She had made the quilt herself, using sage green, peach and purple, to show us that when finished, even unusual colors turned out beautifully and pulled the quilt together when she used every one of those colors in each block.
We got free patterns, did everything by hand except the binding. I didn''''''''''''''''t come from a family of quilters or even sewers. I took HomeEc in school and did well with the cooking and failed miserably at the sewing, so I needed a teacher that would work with me. We were in a small group so there was comraderie between us and we cheered each other on.
I see that most of the others were self-taught, and I did a lot of that, too, after my initial lessons. By then, I was confident in myself and knew that a mistake could be repaired... or I could start the block over and try again. No big deal.
I say, if you can find a quilting group, try it out. There are so many things you can learn from the teacher''''''''''''''''s expertise, if you get a good teacher. Many little tricks it would take a long time to find out otherwise.
Joanne

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Are you self-taught or lessons?

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