I swear the community centre I teach at is giving me less and less time to decide on the following season's classes every year!! I just received an email from the new supervisor requesting what classes to teach for Winter and Spring seasons!!! She wants a decision by Thursday!! WHAT TO TEACH!!!

I teach Monday nights and Saturday mornings.

Yesterday morning, while lying in bed, I decided to teach my Double Irish Chain with the Seminole border and teach that one. Now I need to come up with 3 more classes. HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!

Some classes I would like to take include: quilted purses, quilted sweatshirt designs, rag quilt, applique by machine, free motion quilting. Hope this give you some ideas:wink:

I think a tote class would be quick and easy. :)

Stained glass, applique techniques, small projects that can be completed. A class of border techniques could be fun, too. And origami quilting.

I am more interested in learning techniques to do my own stuff than in reproducing a quilt done by others.

How much time do you have for the classes? When I was starting, I took a weekend class in strip piecing that was really helpful.

Rag quilts would be a fun class to take. I've not done one, but it's on my to-do list.

I'm with Moonpi. Classes on techniques are the ones I would consider. I'd like to learn paper piecing and don't think that's so easy to pick up on your own. Maybe something that teaches curved seams, Y seams, and/or partial seams...you know, non-traditional seaming techniques? Alot of folks are afraid of color decisions. Something related to easing that fear, like using a color wheel or paint chips. Ways to figure yardage, change a block size, adapt a pattern, etc. Think about what the most asked questions are here on the board. That should give you a pretty good idea!

Hi Aggi, one of the things I'd like to take a class for is something with curves, like a Drunkard's Path. I've seen them done on tv, but that seems like something where a little hands-on instruction and a real live person to ask questions as they arise would be very helpful. Good luck coming up with ideas. I don't envy you at all.

Beginners Quiltmaking - rotary cutting, machine piecing, etc. A sampler quilt.

Machine Quilting - including layering and basting, straight lines and freemotion

Binding and other edge finishing techniques

A few I would find helpful:

paper peiceing
machine applique
free motion quilting

Good luck deciding!

if you do bags - closures - how to install/apply zippers, snaps,
velcro, handles, etc and how to put those foot things on the bottom.. Also where to find these supplies.

I think I'm going to try my hand at my eQ6 and come up with a design to teach in the Spring session.

I remember reading on Bonnie's blog that she gives permission for people to use her quilts and to teach them, but requests that each student make an extra block that she can use to put into a charity quilt. Since I almost have the Orange Crush mystery quilt almost done, I think I will teach that one and have my students make a few extra blocks. So for the winter season I will teach my Dbl Irish Chain with Seminole border, and the Orange Crush quilt. In the Spring I need to come up with a couple of shorter 6 week courses. I might do the other mystery Bonnie has up now "Old Tobacco Road" and then come up with my eQ6 design.. perhaps a lap quilt. Something small for me to start with. It's due time I start making my designs into actual quilts. Maybe a machine applique quilt might be a good idea. I like doing those. Perhaps a lap size to get people starting small.

I thought of doing smaller projects too, but over the 4 years I have been at this community centre teaching, people seem to like going for the bigger quilts. Once I get my house and studio, I plan to offer smaller private classes at home and do the smaller projects. I have people interested, but not enough to have a full class at the community centre. I am teaching a Christmas tree skirt and a table runner in November that are 3 and 4 weeks long. I have enough people to teach those (I need a minimum of 4 people of have a class). I find smaller projects fill if they are Christmas related, but not so much the other things. I taught a Chenille pillow course last year privately and had 3 girls. They had a ball!!!

I have until Thursday to give the final decision. I will do a bit of research tonight after my class I teach tonight. I am teaching the kaledioscope quilt on Monday nights and the Crazy patch quilt on Saturday mornings right now. I have 11 women on Monday nights and 8 women on Saturdays.

I just signed up for 2 classes; Machine Quilting and a Quilter's tote. I have no experience with machine quilting other than "stitch in the ditch" and the bag is just really cool :) As a beginner, I would take most of the classes that our fellow readers have suggested. Do you rate your classes so that people know what they're getting into? Example, beginner, confident beginner, intermediate, experienced. Have fun!!!

I think the Drunkard's Path is a beautiful quilt, but I am horrible at doing curves

hmmm a Sampler might be a good idea... You can do a few different techniques.. hmmmmmmmmmm

yes I always rate my classes, but unfortunately they don't seem to read that part in the registration booklet the community centre sends out. For example, I have a woman in my Monday night kaleioscope class that only learned out to sew a couple months ago. She made a very basic tote bag. This quilt I recommended for people with an intermediate level, and have quilting knowledge. You are doing different cuts and of course stack and whack. A few of these women have never had a rotary cutter in their hands before!!!!! Not to mention, they are not buying the amount of fabric that is needed saying they will work with what they have and make only three layers... ITS NOT GOING TO WORK!!! ITS THE FOUR PATCH POSIE QUILT!! YOU NEED ALL FOUR LAYERS OF FABRIC!! sigh... sorry for the shouting.. it just boggles my mind with some people !!!

Vent away, I don't blame you a bit. I'm a new quilter (just started in the spring) and I have so much to learn!!! I love that the classes at my LQS do the classifying. Both that I just signed up for were for the "Confident Beginner". I also enjoy the quilting magazines that classify their patterns. Some things look more difficult than they actually are and vice versa. It makes it much easier for me to choose projects when they're classified. Good luck with your newbies, maybe you shoudl explain "intermediate" to them :)

how about 'trip around the world' with bold colors and then prairie points to match. beginners should be able to handle that and more experienced quilters can play with color values or make it larger.

there's always 'tesselated maple leaves'. that's very impressive for all levels. finishing up the border could take up the end of your class.

A One Block Wonder class is always fun because everyone does the same pattern but they all turn out so different and very intersting!