I teach a 5-week Beginning Piecing Workshop. Here's the description: Skills taught in this course include: rotary cutting, sewing accurate 1/4” seams, quilting tools, thread, machine set-up, pressing, 4-patch, half-square-triangles, sparrow block, “twist and shout,” snowball corners, flying geese, square-in-a-square, matching points and diagonal corners, squaring-up, chain piecing, block construction, “needle down and stomp your foot,” “steering with the pin,” and borders. Here's a picture of our project:

I agree with most of your list, but will add to it just a bit.

- How to thread your sewing machine
- How to wind a bobbin
- How to insert a bobbin in the bobbin case
- how to sew a straight seam of any width
- how to adjust the tension
- how to clean your machine, with emphasis on the bobbin area.

As you can see, I expect a beginner class to meet the needs of a true beginner, who may not even own a sewing machine yet, and a somewhat more experienced sewer who knows (or thinks he/she knows) the very basic elements of sewing.

I am largely self taught, and had no clue that I had to clean the bobbin and thread area on a regular basis until my machine 'froze' up on me. Being a bit mechanically inclined, i took the needle plate off, removed the bobbin and bobbin case and found a piece of what looked like felt in the needle area. It was lint packed so tightly that the needle could no longer pass through it! After a thorough cleaning, the sewing machine ran perfectly again.

It's wonderful that your husband wants to learn quilting! You are never too old to learn and he is doing his brain a favor by tackling a new skill.

True confession: i hate to sew buttons on, so rarely have a button down blouse in my closet!

When I showed my grands how to sew, I let them pick fabrics from my stash, showed them how to thread the machine, and we chose a 4 patch as the first project. They made their first quilts for themselves, so were very interested in the process and the result, and perfection was not one of their or my goals. They loved doing it and were as natural as could be on my machine. When it was time to quilt, they made it interesting by using the decorative stitches on the machine. Now they are older and have other interests, but some day they may come back to learn more.

A cute quilt, no doubt. That course would have helped me immensely when I started quilting.

I would take a class.... even though I started sewing at 8 yrs old making doll clothes and later helping my grandmother when she did gowns for weddings and such. And I worked in the garment sewing factories over 20 yrs .I wish there was a quilt shop close to me to take lessons only ones are joanns and walmart unless I drive to lancanster about an hrs drive I rather have in person teaching then watching videos but they do help.

I wouldn't hesitate to take a class since local friendship often bloom when taking a class at your LQS. I always had on my list for students to bring was a working sewing machine. One of my students brought a sewing machine that I soon discover that she had NEVER cleaned out the bobbin case. Those dust bunnies were solidly packed in so the sewing machine actually locked up and stopped running. I don't miss those days.

My beginners quilting class clearly stated you were expected to know how to use your machine & it was to be in working order. If you need to know how to thread your machine & wind a bobbin I would think that should be a learn to sew class.

Both you and Paper princess are correct, I am talking about teaching a beginner class not taking one.

Quilted sunshine your project is lovely, but your talking about a workshop I'm talking about doing a 6 week class. Most of the list that have been presented here to some degree are on my list. Someone suggested I ask other quilters what they would expect. Another thing is if they don't have a sewing machine I am willing to allow them to use my vintage machines if they choose to.

We did this quilt in my beginning class. My teacher (I've taken her intermediate & advanced also) is very challenging.