Unfortunately, one needs to search for good teachers as one does for good friends. I have been put off needle turn applique because I was ignored by the teacher and received no instruction. She needs to hang in there and get more experience and she will meet plenty of helpful, sharing people who will teach her to love the art of quilting.

Is she online? Can you send her in HERE? We will encourage her! I hate it when the quilt police think they can teach!

As a quilter as of January when I retired from teaching, I have been teaching myself with "ALL your help and ideas and support" plus a desperate phone call to my 83 year old mother in North Carolina every couple of days. You all have the answers that I need or can tell me where to go ;-) and my mom patiently tells me it is okay saying "Dear, surely, no one is going to notice a couple of crooked corners on a queen size quilt" (to which I go back and fix them because she raised a perfectionist). There are excellent teachers on this board and they have my highest praise for all their help!!!!

I'm very surprised to hear this. I was just in Albuquerque about a month ago and had the pleasure of visiting 7 - yes 7 - LQS's there. I must say I was very pleased with how friendly everyone is each of those shops were. Especially considering I wasn't really buying anything of significance. I picked up some stencils and some fat qtrs. and eighths but that's about it. Since there are so many shops in that area I would suggest maybe she travel an extra couple of minutes and find another shop.

Hopefully you can undo the bad advice she's getting and encourage her to keep quilting. Tell her there are a few "Quilt Police" out there and it was just her misfortune to run into one so soon.

When I started out I took a class at the LQS given by the manager. She was not a teacher, but she is a snob. She decided within about 10 minutes who she would cater to and who she would ignore. Fortunately, I found a group in my community that helped me. You could have knocked her over with a feather when I took my finished quilt in! That was almost three years ago and I am still muddling through, but having fun!.

I am still new to quilting but have been lucky in the teachers I have had and from this Board.

I am a new quilter and my first class was different than I expected and I just did what I knew was good for me to do. I didn't hand quilt like was expected. I did one small section and then made a practice sandwich and learned to FMQ, it is not perfect but it is my first and I love it that is what matters.

Ummm. I took my very first piecing class in Albuquerque 25 years ago. Sounds like the same place LOL! The instructor didn't like my choice of fabrics ("too traditional"), didn't help me understand the concept of light/medium/dark for fabric selection ("I don't know why you have so much trouble with this - it is so easy!"). She did think my stitching was ok, but it was a hand piecing class and I was an accomplished embroiderer and therefore used to good hand work. I think I did two blocks and put all other quilting away for 15 years!

Hope your SIL doesn't get as discouraged as I did. Keep up your encouragement!

Pam