bearisgray

I would like to have you for a classmate!

Weezy Rider

If you add to that minding your own business and not pushing other class members to tell about their families or personal lives, I'll go for it. I want to hear the instructor, not a bunch of friends keeping up with the gossip about their families and creating distractions. Go out for lunch after if that's why you are using the class as a social hour.

Don't denigrate someone elses machine if it is that type of class, nor their color choice.

Sheri.a

Oh my! I love to take classes when I can. I work full time so the opportunities are rare.

I was taking a class that took a lot of concentration. As I went through step by step, my table mate said "you know you are talking out loud". I didn't realize -- I never do this. I appreciated that she mentioned it. The last thing I want to do is bother someone.

Sometimes a mention is so much better than stewing.

Onebyone

I don't understand anyone being negative about anyone's machine. Piecing is 99. 9% straight seams. Why do you need a fancy machine for that in a basic quilt class?

Weezy Rider

You might own only what's called a fancy machine. The old Brother PC6500 comes to mind. Fancy stitches and it was also an embroidery machine. Its fans (it's still considered a workhorse) did all with it. I'd use a Pfaff 2140 as it's smaller and lighter than the Juki. Brother and Babylock still put out small "do it all" machines. Singer has a 4 in one.

I wouldn't want to be "required" to use what most quilters like unless the class was for that specific machine. General quilting - use what you have.

TeresaA

I took a beginner class from a very unknown lady who went on to be a fairly well-recognized published author. She was all the bad things, arrogant, syrupy smile, singled people including me out, wanted everything her way. The experience was bad enough that I never took another class and no I didn't buy any of her books, and didn't even finish the quilt (a hand-pieced sampler).

But I learned a few tricks in that class that I'm so thankful to know in hindsight. The teacher learned to quilt from her Grandmother (a prolific circa 30s quilter) and brought some of her techniques to the class. In the olden days, people didn't mess around with fancy sewing machines and threads. For many, quilting was a utilitarian thing and needed to be done quickly, so they were good at finding speed techniques.

Honestly, at this point I wish I could find this woman again for a class. I might sit in the back, LOL, but I would listen and see if I could pick up a few more tips to change my quilty world.

By the way, my fave tip was tying knots for hand quilting. Lay the needle on the thread in the place where you want the knot. Wind the thread around the needle a few times and pull the needle through. This works much faster than it sounds here and creates a good little cylinder - shaped knot that pops through the top layer easily and remains in the sandwich very nicely.

Come to think of it, I did actually try one more class, taught by a well known author. She was nice enough, but it was so boring, I fell asleep and didn't go back (didn't ask for a refund either). I'd take the rude teacher over her any day.

DresiArnaz

I have learned more in my short time on this board than I could ever learn in a quilting class.

cathyvv

Here's my take on this, and, for that matter, the world. There is always something new to learn. You may never use what you learn, but something may come up where that thing you hated learning is both needed and helpful.

However, it's your life, your decision, so do what makes you happiest.

DOTTYMO

Ai went to a day class and left at dinner time. I thanked the teacher but told her it was not what I expected. I was left on my own to sort out instructions while she was chatting non stop with others in the class she knew. These teachers are earning more per hour than a qualified school teacher so they should care for all.

earthwalker

I hate quitting anything, because even if something is really boring/foul, you learn something (even if it is to avoid such situations in the future ).