Teaching Classes
 

I work at Hobby Lobby part time in the fabric department and my boss is always after me to teach a quilting class at the store. I have been quilting for many years, but have never taught. I'd love to do it but I have no idea where to begin. Any advise out there?

I love to teach classes. #1, find out what your boss wants you to teach? Does she have something specific in mind - a particular quilt? Or should you teach a class on trimming blocks or making bindings. If it's a beginning class, show the basics then give them some homework. If you're going to be at the store on subsequent days tell them they can stop in for questions. KISS is the motto. Keep it simple st----. Don't overload them with info unless they ask. If you're going to teach a certain pattern that requires a new ruler, make sure the store has them in stock at the time of the class. And on and on. There's more, but you get the point.

Thanks for your reply Christine. I'll be teaching (for starters) a Quilting 101 type class.

Do I give them a list of things purchase and bring to class? Cutting Mat, Rotary Cutter, etc?
What about fabrics? Have a kit ready for each student or make fabric selection part of the first class?

I was thinking of having them assemble a very basic simple quilt top (lap quilt size) and teach them the importance of keeping the seams exact 1/4", how to press the seams, how to apply sashing and borders and end with a lecture on differences in batting, putting the sandwich together for hand quilting vs. long arm quilting vs. domestic machine quilting and binding the quilt.

I'm planning 4) 2 1/2 hour classes

I know I can do it, just need some guidelines and I really appreciate your help!!!!

I have never taught but I have taken many classes. If it is quilting 101, I would not have them buy and bring things to class. I would have the first class being a review of what to buy and why. IOW, there is a reason you have 45mm, 60mm and the baby rotary cutters. Otherwise, they may buy things that they dont need or things that arent the right thing.

The rest sound perfect!

Very good point seamstome! Thanks. I have never taken a beginner class. I learned the old fashioned way on my grandma's front porch swing.

I know you can do it too. Just remember, if they signed up to listen to you, you know more than they do. The poster for the class should say (for instance), Quilting 101, accurate cutting and how to read your ruler. I'm not sure exactly what you want to focus on. When they pay their money they should get the hand-out for what they'll need for the class: mat, cutter, ruler and fabric if that's as far as you're going. Say on the paper if you're going to make up kits for the class. They can buy the stuff when they get there or bring it themselves, their call. If you're starting them from the very beginning leave plenty of time for questions. They're lucky girls. Learnin' from a pro.

Are you going to teach just the patchwork or all steps including quilting and binding? If you are teaching everything, they will need to bring supplies to the first class or they won't have time to get everything done.

I teach a course that is 6 classes. The first class is the basics (rotary cutting, 1/4" seam, the parts of a quilt, fabric selection, machine maintenance, etc). The second class is making a four patch/focus fabric quilt. The third class we make triangles and flying geese. Everyone makes the blocks then I put them together into a charity quilt from the class. Week 4 is sashes and borders. Week 5 is sandwiching and quilting. Week 6 is binding, sleeves, and labels.

Each week is 3 hours and we cover all aspects of quilting. I have oversimplified what is covered each week, but maybe it will give you some ideas.

You will get students who haven't sewn for 20 years and will need basic help. You will also get students who are self-taught quilters who want to know the right way to do it. Be prepared for all levels.

I hope this helps.

Recently I wrote a tutorial and what I did was work in small increments, take tons of pictures, edit and add the pictures slowly, every time I did a different part I did a picture. It really helped to clarify what I needed to pay attention to. Over 250 pic later the tutorial was done. You could try something similar, oh and charge enough to cover your prep time.

Thanks for the question and all the wonderful advice. I'll be teaching my first class in two weeks and the prep really does take a lot of time.

All my new students like to have directions to refer back to, I like to use "Start Quilting with Alex Anderson" and use one of her simple patterns in the book. I have modified some of the patterns to suit what I am teaching. One was a table runner, 3 different blocks and setting triangles, I referenced the related page number and technique to each block. I like to use lots of handouts.
Enjoy yourself, and have fun in each class, each will learn at their own pace.

Build some work security into this. Work out with your boss ahead of time a whole schedule of classes and possible time frame. Follow Quilting 101 with Quilting 102, etc. Don't set yourself up with a class of devotees clammering for more classes and find he has hired another teacher. I would recommend that you give him a schedule of a total of no less than 6 classes - one about every month. Your value as an employee ought to really rise in his estimation as he sells more stock to your students and word of mouth brings in more students.

Someone may have said this already but I think you should probably keep the class small so you can give each person individual attention when needed.

On a recent trip to Ohio to visit my daughter and her family I got a request from her and a friend to "teach them to sew". Thankfully I got the request before I left home so I was able to bring my sewing machine and I had given my daughter one earlier. Her friend had a machine so we were all set. Before leaving home I gathered up some simple projects that I thought they would enjoy and would give them instant (almost) gratification. I figured that if I could get them hooked on at least one thing they would continue to sew after my short week there. It worked! They each made a pair of pillowcases from a pattern I got online. It's the one made with no raw edge seams. They also each made a 10 minute table runner and a small quilted bag and a gift card holder. They are hooked on sewing and maybe soon quilting. Got a call from them just a week or so ago and they were together doing more sewing.
I guess my suggestion is to start with something simple that can be completed in the length of time you have for classes so that they don't start out with a UFO.

Will you be asking the students to buy a book?

That could be helpful to you and the students and cut down a lot on your prep time if one more or less follows some of the chapters in the book.

Of the several I have, I think I still like "quilts! quilts! quilts!" the best.

I think the total cost of the class for a beginner should be under $100. Theyy shouldn't be REQUIRED to spend anything other than the cost of the class if they didn't want to. Not required to use what the store sells. And if they want to hand stitch that should be ok, also. In this economy if a beginner wanted or needed to start quilting with needle and thread and scissors plus fabric and cost of the class it should be all right. After all, there's no college credit being given so it shouldn't cost what a college class does.

I started taking classes a year ago and the advice here will make your classes successful. I'm sure they'll be great. Good luck.
Annie

that is odd...according the RULES of Hobby Lobby, that would be a conflict of interest! You as a HL employee are not allowed to be a "contracted" teacher!

Also if you have never taken or taught a beginner class...you might want to rethink it. Months of planning and prep goes into it and you will NEVER make any money at it! If your HL is like most, the class room can barely hold 4-6 people! Not nearly enough to make it profitable.

I taught our HL once..and won't do it again. The people want the classes for FREE...so many signed up, and yet only 3 came. It was a nightmare!
Now I did it for Hancock's and wow..night and day! I think it has a lot to do with the the customers perception of the place the class is held. Hobby Lobby, sort of carefree, maybe not into sewing so much as artsy stuff, and at Hancock's it is ALL about sewing, fabric, notions, machines, etc.

The first "official" quilting class I took was "how to hand-piece" - we used a needle and thread to piece all the blocks.

I'm glad I learned how to do that. It reminded me that it is not necessary to have a lot of tools to make something nice.

I agree that it would be a good idea to try to keep the cost down for supplies and equipment.

The National Quilting Association has a booklet "Teaching Basic Quiltmaking" You might find it useful.

I started out 20 years ago with hand piecing and hand quilting and have since added machine piecing and long arm quilting. I would love to teach....especially beginners..... Your thread has given me encouragement and some motivation to market myself. And the comments really help in preparing a syllabus. Thanks to everyone!

Since when is it a conflict of interest? Do you work for Hobby Lobby? The store manager has been asking me to do this for months. The classroom at our store will hold the entire staff for Holiday parties, meetings, etc. I could easily have 15 or more students without being cramped. I would however like to keep classes down below 10 so that I could give more individual attention.

I am more about sharing a craft that I love rather than making a huge profit. No I have never taken a BEGINNER class but I have been making quilts for about 20 years and I have always been able to pick up a quilting book or pattern and figure it out. Not everyone can do that. Some need more hands on instruction or just want to be part of a group.

Why all the capitilized words and exclamination points? Does something about my post upset you?

Thanks Holice, I will check that out.