Maybe that's what works for her, but you need to do what works for you. My favorite quilting machines are a 1907 Singer 27 treadle and a 1951 Singer 15-91. I love them both and they certainly aren't fancy. I have a Janome that does everything but sing and dance. I use it for embroidery-period. Find your own methods and materials. I always prewash because I'm afraid of shrinking or fading. I wouldn't worry about what she say, nor would I go back to one of her classes!

Don't be discouraged by an anal-retentive teacher. With a bit of searching you may find an experienced quilter who could guide you a bit. In fact, a new quilter could be a partner with the two of you sharing as you learn. Too much information, too rigid rules will dampen your enthusiasm.

Pick a very small, simple project to begin on and just enjoy the process.

It sounds to me like she is trying to sell you a new sewing machine, with a nice cabinet. First thing to remember with any instructor, It is just their opinion, and won't be yours, until you try any suggestions, and then form your own opinions. There is nothing wrong with being self taught, I am self taught, and I pick up new things all the time, after I have tested them, then I decide if I want to add it to my opinion list. There are more than one way to get from point A to point B. Experience is your best teacher.

I have a new Janome (base model) that I use for piecing thanks to my wonderful in-laws. But when I free motion quilt I go back to my $79 brother that I have had for years. Take more classes and like anything else in the world use your own good judgment on what you want to retain for future.

When I was finally able to take a beginning quilting class - because I wanted to see some of the techniques in action, I had already developed a comfort level with double folding the fabric (selvage to selvage then selvage to fold) in order to cut - can do that with an 18 inch ruler and not have to move it. The teacher made a comment about my 12 x 18 cutting mat, and when I told her how I prefer, her response was that I wouldn't be able to cut multiple fabrics at once - but she was perfectly fine with me being okay with "that" problem. And she was flexible.

Because I had been working through A Quilter's Academy: Freshman Year by Harriet & Carrie Hargrave, and visiting here, I did have several differing opinions - which I mostly kept to myself - though there were probably one or two items that we discussed the merits of each idea. I worked to not be an obnoxious student.

Cheers, K

There are as many ways to quilt, as there are people who are making quilts. I prewash dark fabrics for a quilt, if there are darks that I know will bleed. I test by taking a damp, white square of fabric and rub the edge of the dark fabric...if color comes off...I prewash all the fabrics for that project...of course lights & darks are washed seperately.....if nothing rubs off, I don't prewash. It's a matter of preference. Now, I was gifted two peoples stashes of older fabrics...they were dusty & a few had critter marks on them...so those all were prewashed and put into bins. They are not ironed...I'll iron if I use that fabric, not before...life is too short.
Always pull the bobbin thread to the top & hold it until you take a stitch or two...but....if you use a "spider" (piece of folded fabric at the start and stop of a line of stitches for making the top (not quilting it)...then you can eliminate hangning onto the threads. This also keeps the end of the piece(s) from getting caught in the feed dogs....for quilting, always bring up the thread.
Rolling the excess is also a preference...when I quilted on my home machine, I rolled & tossed the excess over my shoulder...worked ok, not great. Try both ways...see what feels better and gives you more control.
I rarely make bias binding (again my preference)...I make bias if the quilt has curved/scalloped edges, otherwise...straight is it. Now, sometimes, if the curves/scallops are gentle, I just cut the strips width of fabric...this provides a small amout of give, and works for those gentle curves. For straight edges, I try to cut along the length of the fabric (as the selvage runs)...this has NO give....and I like that stability.
Basting...I agree if you are doing your quilting on a home machine. If you quilt as you go, or it's a small item...you could get by if doing straight lines...but basting will probably result in neater quilt lines. For pot holders, small items, I don't baste....anything larger than a placemat, I baste...if doing on my home machine...on the longarm, I don't baste.
I started quilting on a Singer 2662 machine I got on the AS IS table at Walmart...still use that machine. You have a good machine...don't have to have an expensive machine...I have a friend with an old Brother machine...feed dogs don't drop...she taped a playing card over them, set the stitch as low as it would go, put on the darning foot saved from a newer machine...Worked great. Setting the stitch to zero...helps keep the feed dogs from moving, the playing card keeps the feed dogs from snagging the backing.
For a table when I was quilting on my home machine...I used the table that was for my mom's treddle...and pushed the kitchen table into a corner, the sewing table to the right of the kitchen table...and that is how I supported the queen size quilts I made my kids. Worked great!

I politely listen and even take notes of suggestions I'm given (take what this person says are rules as suggestions)...and then evaluate later, try a few of them...see if they do/don't work for you, and then toss those that don't work.

Hope this helps!

I agree with the erstan947. you do what works for you. store bought binding is not the only way to go. I guess she has never put a quilt in a quilt show. I have and my own binding was fine. you do what you want. when I quilt my own I dont scrunch I roll. I feel when you scrunch you stand to much of a chance in shifting the backing. so as I quilt I roll and put and keep going. good luck to you.

ask any questions at any time. we love to help
Delta

100% agree. I would add that over time you will figure out what works best for you. Perhaps take another beginner class from another teacher so that you can benefit from various methodologies. When I decided to learn to quilt, I taught myself through books, but eventually decided to take a class to learn different ways of doing things, and discovered that the other students also had quite a bit to offer in the way of tips and techniques that have worked for them. Also, as you take classes to learn how to make special types of quilts, you will continue to take away a pearl or two that you will add to your knowledge base. Bottom line is to have fun and develop your own preferences for doing things.

It is always good to hear others ways of doing things. You can then try doing it different the next time if you want, and of course, you can then decide if the new way is better or you want to stick with the old way. You will find everyone has their way of doing things, but that doesn't mean it is right or it is the only way. Just do what works best for you and you will be happy with the results and won't have a lot of frustration trying to do it another way.

I'd find a new teacher, she sounds really closed minded. what works for her may not work for everyone. I am self taught too, i just did it when I first started and never even gave a thought that there were rules. now I go with rules are made to be broken. I read tips and how tos but go with what work for me.

also the best teachers to learn from are right here on the QB. The people here are great and I have gotten more out of reading this site than any class. also the internet has wonderful videos on everything. I like watching those and you can watch them at your own convinious and over and over if you need to see it done.

I don't understand why the teacher was telling you not to do so many things that others do. like what is wrong with using the acrylic table, it gives you a bigger work space ? also I wash my material first and starch it, that way the material is shrunk and won't bleed all over everything. that way the person getting it has no problems with it. Also it washes the chemicals out that is on the fabric so no need to worry about allergies so many people seem to have. Even buying new clothes I have to wash before wearing or I break out in rashes. Good luck in you new adventures in quilting. Just injoy yourself and do what works for you.

Anniedeb, there are no quilt police. I have taught beginner quilter for quite a few years and there are no fast and hard rules. I do say if you wash one piece, then wash them all, because cotton does shrink. Also if using strong dark colors like red, navy blue, black, dark green etc. you do risk a having them bleed if you don't prewash. Some teachers like the crispness of unwashed fabric. I am one of those, however, if you wash first, then just spray with sizing and you can get that crispness back. Since I don't prewash most of the time, I throw a color catcher sheet in with my quilt and don't have a problem. If you don't pull up the bobbin thread when you start to quilt your quilt sandwich, you risk a knot on the back of your quilt or a tangle. I prefer a walking foot when putting on a binding, which by the way does not have to be cut on the bias unless you are going around a curve. Straight of the grain is fine for a quilt with no curved edges. If you are comfortable with an acrylic table, then use it. As for as your machine---if it sews a straight seam and you use a quarter inch foot and it works well for you, then it is just fine. Sounds like she was wanting to sell you a machine. When quilting we rarely use anything more than a straight stitch, a zig zag, or blanket stitch. If yours does that then you can do anything you want with it.
I teach students from the book---Start quilting with Alex Anderson-- which you can probably get on Amazon really cheap. Walk yourself through that book. Once you have compleated each of the blocks, you can make almost any quilt. If you would like to have one of my hand outs, let me know and I will send you one. We were all beginners one time. I wanted to qult for years and was too scared to get started. Thanks to my sweet husband, He signed me up for a quilting class at a quilt shop in Houston, bought me all the supplies, and a gift cetificate for fabric and gave it to me for Christmas one year. Boy did he create a monster. You should see my wall of fabric.
Good luck and QUILT ON!

Anniedeb, there are no quilt police. I have taught beginner quilter for quite a few years and there are no fast and hard rules. I do say if you wash one piece, then wash them all, because cotton does shrink. Also if using strong dark colors like red, navy blue, black, dark green etc. you do risk a having them bleed if you don't prewash. Some teachers like the crispness of unwashed fabric. I am one of those, however, if you wash first, then just spray with sizing and you can get that crispness back. Since I don't prewash most of the time, I throw a color catcher sheet in with my quilt and don't have a problem. If you don't pull up the bobbin thread when you start to quilt your quilt sandwich, you risk a knot on the back of your quilt or a tangle. I prefer a walking foot when putting on a binding, which by the way does not have to be cut on the bias unless you are going around a curve. Straight of the grain is fine for a quilt with no curved edges. If you are comfortable with an acrylic table, then use it. As for as your machine---if it sews a straight seam and you use a quarter inch foot and it works well for you, then it is just fine. Sounds like she was wanting to sell you a machine. When quilting we rarely use anything more than a straight stitch, a zig zag, or blanket stitch. If yours does that then you can do anything you want with it.
I teach students from the book---Start quilting with Alex Anderson-- which you can probably get on Amazon really cheap. Walk yourself through that book. Once you have compleated each of the blocks, you can make almost any quilt. If you would like to have one of my hand outs, let me know and I will send you one. We were all beginners one time. I wanted to qult for years and was too scared to get started. Thanks to my sweet husband, He signed me up for a quilting class at a quilt shop in Houston, bought me all the supplies, and a gift cetificate for fabric and gave it to me for Christmas one year. Boy did he create a monster. You should see my wall of fabric.
Good luck and QUILT ON

I'm glad you are finished with that class. I wouldn't take another one with her. My thought would be "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" In other words, if it works for you keep doing what you're doing. Lots of us do it however works for us. Like someone else said, keep reading the board and you'll learn lot's of different ways of doing things.
kathyd

Annie it sounds like you already have some things that work for you so don't let someone else discourage or try and side track you into things that may not work for you. I some times wash, and some times not, use all my machines for piecing (my FW being my favorite) and some for quilting. Never use bias binding unless I have to and enjoy every minute I spend with my quilting hobby. The only two rules FOR ME are...take time to cut accurate and do my best to stay with the 1/4" seam. Find what works for you, and that includes thread, scissors, cutters, blades, cutting matts, machines, needles, patterns, fabric and guilds. Just enjoy the craft as it is supposed to be fun. Welcome

Well, I think that this should all be taken with a great big grain of salt. There is a huge "controversy" over pre-wash and don't pre-wash. User's choice.

I had never even HEARD of pulling up the bobbin thread until I watched some videos on-line. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don't. Depends on what I'm working on. Again, User's choice.

A walking foot is the Bee's Knees as far as I'm concerned - maybe she had a reason why she preferred not to use one.

IF a person is lucky enough to have a drop-in table for their sewing machine, there would be no need for the acrylic extension table. But for the rest of us mere mortals...

Basting. Well, there's spray basting, the Sharon Shambler (SP?) way, using straight pins with or without pin moors, the method of laying the sandwich out and basting away with the needle, OR using safety pins. Baste away with what ever method warms your heart.

Binding is binding to me. I hate cutting bias binding and so I don't.

Scrunch, roll, wad, mash - whatever works to get the quilt in there so you can work on it! LOL

But to even think of blasting your machine goes beyond the pale. You must have felt like crawling UNDER the table after that lovely comment. Again, us mere mortals use what we have/can afford! If it sews, it can quilt. And applique. And thread paint. And free-motion. It's ALL sewing. Go for it and have fun!

The one thing I can say about quilting is Rule Number One: There are no rules. It sounds like you have found your own way in quilting, like most of us, whether we are self-taught or have taken many classes. Do what works best for you. The first quilt I machine quilted was king-size, using a crib size pattern, thinking all I had to do was make more blocks. While that was partially true, I know I made dozens of mistakes in that quilt, but I also learned a lot, and it was on our bed for many years. Just for chuckles and giggles, it was a pieced basket block, with a pieced handle I found on another pattern, while I spread all the blocks on our LR loveseat, my husband told me that I had become a "basket case", and the name stuck. Nobody told me I couldn't do some of the things that I did on that quilt and there were some things I wish someone had told me about, however,there is nothing like jumping in with both feet and ending up with something you love. Just do what feels right for you, just because you take a different road to the same destination doesn't make it wrong. Enjoy your quilting, it has been my sanity and love for over 25 years.

While it is always interesting to take a quilting class;unfortunately many times you will find--as you obviously have learned the instructor is off b ase. But don't give up on classes because you usually come away with one or two new hints you never thought of and you just have to use the ones that you find helpful and ignore the "crap".

If what you have been doing works, then dont stop! Hopefully you got a few tips out of the class that work for you though! Some of what she told you sounds a bit out there ...

I just came across this today, only thing I have to say is I took my beginner class from a very respected teacher and she said always prewash fabric. And I have heard from more than one source to bring up the bobbin thread.
So I think like others have said do what works for you. I'd say listen to their reason for the method, if it makes sense to you go with it, if it doesn't go with what you want.

Was she also trying to sell you a sewing machine? Geez Louise so long as it sews a straight seam, and yes fits a walking foot, your good to go! Why didn't she like the extension table? I can't figure that one out , can you?

I often prewash my fabrics before they go in my stash. I snip the corners so they don't ravel so much in the wash.

I only use a bias binding when sewing curves, and I hate to admit it but I rarely hand baste. I use both 505 spray basting and I'm just starting with Elmer's school glue. Learnt this technique from this board.

It sounds like you have a pretty good handle on this quilting thing. I would take what makes sense to you from a teacher. Especially one who claims to be teaching beginners. The most important thing about quilting is to relax and enjoy it!!

A good teacher should tell you all of the different ways to do something, but explain why she prefers her method. If you're happy with the results you get, keep doing it your way. If you don't like your own quilting results, try other methods until you find one you like. To me, quilting is such an individual thing and everyone does what they like the most. I use a walking foot to quilt on my DSM because I didn't like the puckers I used to get on the back side. I've never done my binding using the bias. I don't like to pre-wash any of my fabric, because I like the stiffness of the sizing when I piece my blocks together. Just because this works for me, doesn't mean everyone else wants to do the same thing.