Bad Advice
 

When the instructor told us to reserve the border fabric before cutting the rest of the pieces. I botched about three yards of fabric by doing that - I tore off 'too much' and ruined the main design.

Anyone else have 'instructor advice' that you have since learned to ignore?

I had someone once tell me "you won't get good results if you don't use LQS fabric". She was very wrong and I'm glad I ignored her.

Yes , I have had someone tell me batiks don't run/bleed. I also had them tell me its best to use/cut cross grain , when clearly having stretch would pose a problem later. I have had them even tell me my almost vintage machine will never produce as good results as a newer machine.
I have learned over the years to filter! and yes my 40 years of quilting can be my most valuable asset in assessing what should be filtered.

when receiving advice, filtering is most important whether you are receiving from an instructor or another quilter. i went to a batik block making class at my lqs. this one particular block that was to be cut from these strips we put together was not going to be totally square the way the instructor was trying to cut it. well she cut it before i had time to protest. of course my block is missing two corners. had i had a moment to think it through, i would have found another way to cut out block so that i would not be missing 2 corners that i now have to patch. she was a nice little old lady and the class only cost $5.00 so i went with it but it could have been cut better.

yes filtering is important.:thumbup:

When someone says "Always.." or "Never...". I think there are different ways of doing almost everything. I ignore the instructors that say "Always press to the dark fabric". I usually press my seams open (gasp!) or away from the quilting design I have planned.

I have seen a lot of people try to teach who are really not up to the task. I always try and logic things out for myself before I jump in to what someone else is telling me to do or how to think. Before taking advice or instructions always look to see if the work of the person giving it stands up to scrutiny.

I've been sewing for about 50 years. I have always kept my iron's cord at the front of my ironing board, but I was told in the class I took earlier this year that I should ALWAYS keep it to the back so I don't trip on the cord. She said the ironed fabric should fall to the back of the ironing board and that way the cord won't wrinkle it again. Well, I haven't tripped over my iron's cord after 50 years, so it probably won't happen now, and she was doing everything just backwards from how I do it. I did as she asked in the class, but it ended there. In fact, my old iron's cord doesn't LIKE being twisted in the opposite direction it's used to being in.

Yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks, but only if they want to learn them! Common sense tells me this is a hot iron and I should be cautious around it! (I hope I never have to eat those words, but will be sure to post if that happens.) LOL!

I had an instructor tell me "It will all work out in the quilting" When I got home, I took my top apart and started over. That was the only class I ever took. No way was the quilting going to fix that mess!!!

You just have to do what works for you. I was a seamstress for many, many years, and old habits die hard. Because of this, I was accustomed to pressing all of my seams open. I have been nailed for this at every class I have taken since becoming a quilter. I don't like pressing to one side, I don't like nesting my seams, and I don't like stitching in the ditch all that much. I'm extremely careful to use 3 ply, strong cotton thread (Masterpiece 50# 3 ply) for my piecing, and carry the stitching to then end of each piece and lock it, so my seams don't come apart. I press the thread to "bury" it before I press it open. I like the way my tops lie flatter with open seams. More and more designers are pressing their seams open, like Bonnie Hunter. It works for me, I like it, stop harassing me, I'm sick of your lectures, and who made you the quilt police?

I feel your pain.