Sorry for your bad experience. I don't take classes for that same reason. I can figure our some thing on my own. I love local shop, but the cost of their classes are outrageous. The you add the over priced kit and that leave me out. I get newsletter from other area, even my own state, and the classes are priced great. Thanks for letting me vent. I enjoy taking classes. I taught some fabric painting classes for fun not to get rich.

So sorry. I have taken a few classes but I am choosy. I would ask for the money back for sure.

oh how terrible. I could tell you stories lol....one teacher was more interested in telling us her love life than teaching...another, would tell you to go ahead and this then that and then she would go sew her own project....etc, etc etc.

A good thing to do if you are a beginner is to watch the teacher in action and get feed back before paying good money and ask questions...

Ditto on the money back thing. I have taken several classes at my lqs and have never been disappointed. She always takes us through one step at a time and I have learned so much. I don't mind paying when I can honestly say I have learned. Try your local lqs, hopefully it will be better.

There are such experienced and knowledgeable quilters here who are more than willing to share. If you want to know how to do something, just the question and you will get several responses.....don't be afraid to ask. We are a very sharing group here.

This can be a matter of who is teaching.

Agreed. I have taken a LOT of classes from my LQS, mostly for the opportunity to be with other quilters, see what they are doing (color combinations, new fabrics, etc) and have some quality time with one of my quilting gal pals. It's well worth it. There was one class, however, that was a total disappointment. And I never finished the quilt. She probably wasn't a bad quilter, but she was a horrible teacher. It was a while ago, and I can't recall the specifics, but I do remember it wasn't worth what I spent on the class.

So what to do? I check the names of the teachers and only take classes from those I know have a lot to offer. (I haven't taken any in a few years due to low finances)

As an aside, one of the other stores in town was offering a BOM deal, had to be there on a certain day at a certain time, show your finished block from the month before, yada, yada, yada, but the worst part was sitting for an hour through her infomercial-de-jour! It was maddening, to say the very least. I made two of the quilts and they turned out beautifully, the price of the blocks was well worth what she charged, but the sitting through her presentation was so painful, I never signed up for another.

I hate to hear this sort of thing, especially from beginners. There is no excuse for uncomfortable accommodations and someone who obviously does not know how to teach a class, ask for a refund.

I learned to machine quilt at a Hancocks, the gal was fabulous, I kept taking her class and made 3 quilts. Unfortunately, they closed.

I took another class at my LQS but I was very uncomfortable. The teacher was excellent but there was something about the accommodations that really put me off, never quite figured out what, my project turned out great and I still shop there but don't take any classes.

I've had the best luck in my local Adult Education program. You make a quilt the instructor has chosen, each class she does a demonstration, then she's available after the demonstration to help you and give personal instruction.

So sorry you had a bad experience in taking a class. I have taken many classes, and have never had such a terrible experience. I would ask for my money back. Do you belong to a guild? I have taken 20 odd classes through my guild, and all of them have been great except one, and I still learned a lot from that class, but the teacher's attitude was lousy. I've also taken classes through my LQS, and those were really neat, I'm still trying to get into a PAMPERED QUILTERS sewing class, they cut all your material, do the ironing, and offer to do the ripping, if the case arises. She is a very experienced quilter, and are is her helpers, and she gives you a choice of pattern you can choose from.
But the class is always full by the time I hear about them.

I have also taken classes at Sister's annual quilt show (12), I went 4 years in a row, and all their classes are superb.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but don't give up on classes, just try a quilt shop, or even a guild in your area next time.

Good luck with your next class.
Lucinda

Sorry your class as a dud, I'd give it a try and ask for a refund.
Sounds like a 'quilting class' to took once during an Elderhostel craft/vacation where were could try different crafts during the week if we wanted to. Quilting class consisted of the instructor handing out kits for a small wall hanging and giving us a trunk show of her quilts. We were set up in a tiny corner of a room with one little table which bearly held our sewing machines. I quickly got out of that class and into another. Accomadations were great and so was the food but I choose the place because of the quilt class. Live and Learn I guess. May in Jersey