I usually enjoy taking a class, but a teacher took all the joy out it for me. I told her quietly before the class that I was dyslexic and left-handed and might have some problems. She promptly my problem to everyone in the class. I was embarassed and humiliated.

I take classes but usually because I want to meet new people. Sewing is a solitary hobby and sometimes I just like to be with other people. I always learn something new which is a bonus but I like to be with like minded people. If I am slow...so be it.

If you feel more comfortable taking your time, that's perfectly ok. I prefer to proceed slowly and find I'm happier later with the project.

Several years ago I took a very pricey class from a very well known quilter. She hated the fabrics I picked out (I shopped my stash), made me rip out my first block and sew it with fabrics she preferred (I didn't think much of her combination and the colors would not work in my home - I had to buy some fat quarters to make her happy). She told me I was working too slow and that I had to have perfect 1/4" seams(for me speed = wonky seams) -- by the time the 6 hour class was over I had made one block while the rest of the group had made enough blocks for a quilt. I was a nervous wreck. I trashed the project when I went home and never made it (even though I liked the pattern).

Now I rarely go to classes, I try to use youtube to learn new techniques.

My experience is the worst person in the whole room is the idiot in my own head. I finally learned to tell her to shut up and get to work. :D

I think many good points have been made. I suggest you analyze what is stressing you....do you want it to turn out perfect to show your friend tomorrow? are you cutting into your favorite fabric? etc then mitigate that stress

I have good days when everything is clicking and others where I give up on sewing and just take notes. My goals have evolved into learning (and even in a bad class or a repeat of a technique I already know I almost always learn something or am reminded of something I forgot ) And my second goal is to not make my bad day a bad day for everyone else.

With those goals I come out of class with a least a couple positives.

I have been to many quilt classes and workshops. I have learned over the years no one cares how fast or slow I sew. No one cares if I sit and rip out stitches. When I realized no one should care in the first place so why did I expect them to? I enjoy classes and sometimes I sew and sometimes I just sit and watch. No one cares what I choose to do and that is how it should be.

I love taking classes, but do not necessarily love all the ones I take.

At uni I am often the first to finish an exam and that freaks out classmates that take an hour longer than me. I reassure them that just because I am fast, does not mean I do better than them. Although I generally am in the top 5% of a class.

With quilting and sewing, I am slower, much slower than others. I quilt as a hobby and only a couple hours a month if I am lucky. I will never be as fast nor as accurate as those who quilt daily or weekly. That is ok, I am there to learn new skills.

I took a couple bra making classes this spring. One woman in the class made two bras int eh time it took me to make one. I am ok with that. I learned a new pattern, how to fit my body and have a great fitting colourful bra to wear. That is what matters in the end.

Wow carolynjo, seriously?!! I would have reported her to the person in charge of whatever store or group was sponsoring that class. Totally unacceptable behavior for teacher.

Peckish, your comment made me laugh so hard!!! I'm going to use that line at work... "It's not me, it's the idiot in my own head!" :)

I had one bad experience years ago in a class with... well, I won't say who, but she was a very famous expert in serging. She took one look at my serger which was an inexpensive model, I will admit. She said in front of the whole class, well Donna, you won't be able to accomplish anything with that THING, but you can try. . Which I did. I put that machine through its paces and she kept coming around and acting surprised. I got something out of the class based only on what I was doing by myself with no help from her because she really just ignored me throughout. That company still exists and when I see their name, I still do cringe a little bit.

Lady Diana's advice was spot-on! Those are all great things to remember in a class, especially being honest with the person sitting next to you. I'm rather quiet and I like to pay close attention to the teacher, and I always end up sitting next to a Chatty Cathy..... LOL. :)

This is also me. I stopped worrying about it a long time ago. I am more about the finished product than the speed. I have never had to be the first to finish. I want to enjoy the process and lean from the experience.