I took a stained glass class about 35 years ago. Spent tons of money purchasing the equipment. The teacher was so "perfect" I still don't like stained glass to this day. I see stained glass and the only thoughts that come to mind are how wrong I did it. Tell you sister to hang in there. Quilting is not about perfection, it's about how much we enjoy doing it. I try to quilt some every day and make some of the worst mistakes, but the good side is I am the "queen" of the seam ripper club. I am still proud of what I do-wobbly seams and all.

was "yes, but they are not for people like this group, they are for real quilters

My first teacher would have been horrified at this statement. Her attitude was if you can't see it from a horse at a gallop it doesn't matter. Just enjoy your self.
I wish I was more like my teacher. I tried to teach my DGD to quilt and I think I turned her off completely. I made sure her points matched perfectly etc and made her rip out. She finished one block , which was perfect, but didn't make any more.:-( My bad.

Thank goodness she has you to help her! You have a good attitude and I hope she does not become discouraged by this teacher.

I believe that I am a customer when I go to a class, and the instructor is a service provider. It took me a long time to reach this point, but when I did, it certainly helped my confidence and self esteem when I went to class. I f you take this attitude, you shold feel it's your right to ask all the questions you have on the topic as long as you are not interfering with the other students taking the course. Try to get your friends who take classes to adopt this attitude, and you will find that you have a much better mind set to handle inappropriate comments from the instructor. I find that I can respond with, "I don't believe I understood your explanation. Could you please review it? A response of "no" is not an instructor's option.

I find that it's also useful to teach this attitude to students going to college, so they can feel less intimidated by professors. After all, they are just instructors that you have paid to teach you what they understand.

Think of it this way. They teacher was a failure in teaching, because she didn't accomplish her goal of starting you in a hobby that you were interested in.

Not everybody can teach. However, I respect that they are making her take it out to learn to make a 1/4 inch with her machine properly. Getting it right in the beginning will save her many tears later on. Practice does not make perfect. Practicing CORRECTLY is what makes perfect. However, I'd never harass a student to keep taking the same thing out. Even in my own stitching, if it still isn't right the 3rd time, it is a design element.

However, that said, I do think an introduction to quilting class should have a simple pattern that goes together well even if the 1/4 inch is off a lot. You are more encouraged to perfect if you have a great looking beginner piece than getting it all right off the top, as other quilters have indicated.

My quilting instructor always told me that it was okay to be wrong with your seams as long as you are consistently wrong with the entire project. Then it all fits together, just smaller. With time I have gotten so much better with my 1/4" seams.

I live south of Albuquerque and shop at the local stores. I've heard a couple of the shops are like that so I think I can guess where she took the class. Ask her not to give up and if she wants to take more classes to try Southwest Decoratives and Kokopelli Quilting. Here is a .pdf of their newsletter and it has the class listings. This is one shop that I have always found excellent customer service, pleasant staff, and the teachers are very patient and encouraging. Not to mention the fabric is amazing.

I agree. Practice and learn the 1/4" seem first, then piece blocks and see if they come out the correct size. I guess I'm a perfectionist too!

Life is too short to spend money on a class like that.