I am fortunate that I had good teachers, one class I took we were on our own but it was me a a sewing buddy and we spent all day making our projects so it was like a mini sewing retreat....I now teach I have found that caned directions and canned patterns a lot of times have very traditional old school techniques I actually got a kit for a half square triangle quilt that said cut the squares in half and put the two pieces together NOT this girl I'm all about fast easy accurate piecing....