I agree it is very empowering to have the skills mentioned!
I wish more Beginning Quilting classes taught the student how to "find the block" and how to deconstruct that block so they could resize it and make it their own. Lots fewer $10-12 patterns would be collected, stored, never used if the quilter could do this on her own. Years later I have had beginning students come back to me and thank me for that one thing in my classes; I've always taught this way and am SO grateful I learned this way.
Jan in VA