Curriculum for Quilters
 

Premise: For those that want an in-depth introductory course - maybe 60 hours class time -

If you could design a "Curriculum for Quilters" -

What would you include?

In what order?


Now that I've asked the question, it seems rather complicated to answer.

It is hard to condense many years of knowledge and experience into a few hours of class time.

So many people want "instant results" now - maybe the whole idea is not worth bothering with.

proper tools, safety and the importance of the right fabrics to start with.

and the skill to sew an accurate 1/4"

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

And another thing I learned today! I never questioned why it was named just 'gin'

If this were my class I would suggest that "my way is not the only way - however, for this class I am going to teach what works best for me."

Then I would give handouts for where they could check out other methods.

Maybe not a "post quick reply", but when they were thru, they would have a very good start on being a quilter.:)

Not a short reply, but a most interesting one!

my guild offers a beginner class to any member (often the reason join--about 1/3 of them become very active, a 1/3 decide quilting is not their thing due to time/interest/finances; a 1/3 continue but it isn't a big priority). It's 5 Saturdays, for a total of 25 hrs. they get a notebook with quilting terms, color--value, etc; thread, needle, etc. First session: split rail fence to learn 1/4" seam, sewing strip sets, using the rotary cutter and rulers. 2nd--HST--we give the written directions for several methods, but teach the one with a square, stitched 2 diagonals and cut. We encourage several different ways to piece together. 3rd--flying geese--again notebook has several ways to do them, but we do the stitch and flip method in class. 4th--Drunkard's path--cutting on straight of grain vs. bias and when both help with stitching, stitching the curve. 5th (this one has a couple weeks between it and 4th to give time to catch up or make additonal blocks)we use a placemat to teach basting, quilting on DSM, binding. We also include things like labels, sleeves, prep for LA quilter, etc in the notebook.

A couple of years ago we cut the classes from 7 to 5 because we found that participants were just worn out trying to learn so much new stuff. Thus we cut out the applique class (which had become overwhelming due to so many ways to applique) and the handquilting(although both are in the notebook). At the end of the beginner class they are able to do most quilt patterns except applique and paper piecing, and EPP.

To paraphrase from "The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" -

A person is more apt to continue to seek knowledge about a subject when there is a desire or need for it.

Well... when I lead a 4-H Modern quilting project, we start with mastering the 1/4" seam. By the time the members have sewn 5 WOF strips together they have it pretty darn good.
Then we play with colour and colour theory.
Then design. All the while playing/sewing with the strip set they made. A little bit of machine maintenance and checking out the manual or where to go online for help.
Then sandwiching with batting and backing - I use the birthing method first since their projects are small.
Then machine quilting - straight lines either marked or done point to point or perhaps stitch-in-the-ditch. And finishing the thread ends. I think this gives a good overview.

Great question. I would structure an Intro to Quilting Class with 6 lessons based on a sampler quilt, 3x4 (12.5”) blocks. 5 students max to give personal attention.

1. Choosing fabric . Start with a multicolored focal print and show how to coordinate fabrics using color, value, scale, and contrast. Spend an hour in the quilt shop helping them narrow the choices and making decisions, which can be the hardest part of starting. (No matter how many years you’ve been quilting!) Send them home to wash with color catchers, iron the fabric, gather all their supplies, thread their machine and come to class prepared to learn cutting techniques based on the sampler blocks.

2. Measuring and cutting. Subcutting. Reading a pattern. Basic terminology and explanation of common abbreviations and acronyms in the quilting industry.

3. Block 1: Rail fence. Mastering the 1/4” seam. Pressing. Squaring up. Block 2: 9 patch. Homework to make 2 of each, varying the fabrics in each. I would teach both pinning and gluing. They can decide what works for them. I always want to emphasize freedom in choosing methods, not insisting on just one.

4. Block 3 : pinwheel (because it’s my favorite!) , HST (taught two different ways—again homework is to try both methods , Block 4: flying geese with the stitch and flip method. Make 2 Pinwheels and 2 FG for homework.

5. Block 5: Churn dash because it Combines strip piecing and HsT lessons learned . Emphasis on points and clear contrast using just two fabrics. Make two for HW.

6. Have them make a simple, portable design board using 4x6 ft foam board, batting and pins. Bring to class, play with layouts, bring camera to take BLack and white photos (and color) of your layouts till you see one you like. This step was not taught in my beginner class and I was laying out my blocks on the bed. It was okay but hard on my back and was the wrong perspective. The joy of using an inexpensive design wall incReased my pleasure tenfold. Homework: sew the blocks together into a finished top.

That would end six sessions. And it would whet their appetite to take the next class (Batting, Basting, Basic Quilting , and Binding, and Binding). Some would want the personal instruction and social interaction, others would figure it out by youtube and not return, and some would realiZe how addicting it is to shop, sew, and make UFOs!! They would never come back because finishing ain’t as fun!!

My question would be - is this for sewers wanting to learn to quilt? or non-sewers wanting to learn.

It would be very different if you have to teach basic sewing before you get into the quilting part.

I read the question, and answered, with the assumption that basic sewing skills had already been learned. Indeed an intro to sewing would be a different class and many hours of practice.

I did not specify -

"Intro to sewing" - as in "this is a needle, this is thread, this is a sewing machine, this is fabric, these are scissors" - could either be "quilting 101" or a class by itself.

Simple sewing machine use and maintenance. How to wind a bobbin, oil a machine,what needle to use... and a handout with tips on troubleshooting stitch/tension problems.
Basics of batting, too.
I would emphasize over and over that accuracy when cutting and stitching is what takes the frustration out of piecing blocks and seams.
I would make as many handouts as possible to be used as a reference after the class ...people forget new things easily, especially when there's a ton of info being taught.