First off, I ask them what they want to do... I am no help for applique or a bunch of other things but I am great on basics. Sometimes they want to repair a family quilt, or make a baby quilt, or whatever, it is a one and done deal and they don't need the full treatment. Others, however, want to get started for a life-long hobby.
For those, typically we start with a simple straight line project like a 4-patch or rail fence. It's often a baby quilt which is a good size to learn on. Usually they are what I call "planned" quilts, so just a few fabrics consistently used.
When I start with a new quilter, I start at the basics and for me that is fabric selection, prewashing and preparing the fabric for cutting. I'm big on getting it on grain, I know that isn't so important any more and disregard it completely when fussy cutting, but when I'm cutting strips, I want it right! Fabric selection seems to be hard for people starting out. So we go to the store, discuss different fabrics, play with them, explain about contrasting scales and colors and values and/or for the low volume/watercolor effect. Also while preparing the fabric I discuss the differences between "pressing" and ironing, steam or no steam, etc.
Once the fabric is prepared, that moves to the discussion on cutting. How to, as in don't use the lines on the mat! Single ruler technique and two ruler technique. (Single ruler is what is usually used, sometimes though it works better to measure from the right and cut on the left using two rulers). That leads to a discussion on ergonomics. Each person is different and it helps to adjust the actual work station(s) they are using.
I check the tension and settings on their machine, make suggestions if needed -- like, that card table is not stable enough it is going to buck like a bronco when you get going. Since I do strip piecing techniques, I find most people have too long a stitch length as a default. If you can easily pull away 3-4 stitches at the top of your seams, it's too big. Keep in mind you are cutting through those stitches at some point.
And then is what I call driving lessons. Lots and lots of strip piecing two WoF together and working on that consistent seam width. I tell them (because it's true) that one of the greatest contributions to their projects is a consistent seam width. Most people -- including me -- find that 1/4" so impossibly tiny to start with, then after a few years our eyes grow accustomed to it and it seems relatively large, I am self taught and came from garment construction before rotary cutting and used a .5 seam for my first couple of years.
Then it's a re-lesson on the pressing/ironing. I press my seams open, I have a number of reasons why but I explain while I believe it is growing among quilters I do discuss pressing to the side and times when even I do it. One of the issues I have with pressing to the side is the lack of a firm rule, for this project you do it this way. Well, yes, you do all the squares like this, except for the ones you do like that... I like one rule to rule them all and when you press open you get that.
Then it's sub-cutting the strips, showing how (if possible) to correct the seam line issues.
With open seams, I feel they require pinning. I know the to-the-side people just nest in their lumps next to each other. So we go through proper pinning technique -- for example, you can secure your fabric just fine an inch down from the cut edge and don't sew over the pins. Chain sewing is a new concept to some and that is how I do my piecing efficiently.
Then it's time to press again! And we look at how true the blocks are, are they within a usable tolerance? Do they need some sort of fix?
By the time they are putting the blocks together their familiarity with their machine and the process have grown and this is typically the fun part -- driving lessons usually result in some grumbling that it isn't fun. No, but it is necessary and the better you do it, the less you have to re-do or fix.
All throughout I have all sorts of stories and anecdotes about quilting, about fabrics, all sorts of things like I believe that cotton is the reason for the industrial revolution. Cotton wasn't grown in England but it was a wonderful fiber highly in demand, so it had to be imported. The mills were where water was (to drive the wheels) so railroads and better transportation methods were developed to get the cotton to the mills and the goods back out again. Our basic computer 0/1 on/off level of code was used for weaving instructions hundreds of years ago. You may have learned about it in history but the importance of Eli Whitney and the Cotton 'gin (engine...) should be reviewed!
After their first straight seam project if I feel they have the basic driving lessons down we go to triangles in blocks. The different ways to cut and to get good results. If that is going well, then the next quilt we set on point.
After that, they usually want to try something a little more challenging and a little more on their own, but I still set up times to check in with them and am there to help with problems.
heehee -- "Post Quick Reply" doesn't seem the correct choice with my book length posts :P