catrancher

The first quilt I learned was a nine patch and rail set on point. I learned soooo much from that one quilt.

sananddandy

My friend, who recently had a stroke, and I have taught beginning quilting for 4 years thru our church. Now we teach beginning thru advanced. We run by the school semesters and the classes are 2 hours every Tues. We start at the very beginning with tools they need the first meeting. I bring in my stash the 2nd meeting and they play with putting fabrics together. The 3rd week we go shopping and they pick their fabrics. The pattern we start with is a "Buddies quilt" by Jean Nolte. We then spend the next 2 weeks perfecting rotary cutting on cheap fabric I have picked up, sewing 1/4"seam and pressing. Then they begin with their quilt and are comfortable with doing it. Some sew at home but most don't. We finish the quilt, including binding that semester or they can finish it the next semester. Always on call and very happy students. We charge $5 a semester and they certainly get their money's worth. If you would like a copy of our materials, I will be happy to send you one just PM me. Also, please pray for my friend. I believe I will be teaching alone this year.

fabricesta

I think squaring up your blocks would be a basic lesson

katcox

I would add a little instruction on the sewing machine, rethreading,oiling, general stuff to keep you machine in operation while quilting.Along with all the basics use of a ruler rotary cutter etc. You know all general to someone who knows nothing. Just using that as an example.

jgriinke

Being in a local guild, I have to say that the hardest thing we come across is the people who don't know what a 1/4" seam is.
I helped teach a "Back to Basics" year round project for the guild. We started out with how to cut properly, then sew a true 1/4" seam.
From there, we went on to 12 different blocks. Starting with a large 4 patch. We even went into hand applique and machine applique.
Then did a couple of free motion/stitch in the ditch classes.
We had many of the members say they really learned lots from it.
I guess I feel that cutting properly and finding and keeping the 1/4" seams are the most important.
You are opening a whole can or worms here with that question. It will be interesting to see the answers to it.

SueSew

In my limited experience - the last five months - I have never attended a class because they are at inconvenient/daytime hours or - worse - they involve an entire day in a small room with a lot of people all crammed in and yakking - and WORST - the project they picked out is plug-ugly. Pick something pretty, something easy, and concentrate on the basic construction techniques. Cut, measure, piece, measure, rip, piece, block...

bearisgray

I come from a generation where almost all females were exposed to sewing in some way.

However - some people really don't know what a needle is!

I value the "hand-piecing" class that was my first quilting class.

You might want to start with very very basics such as

This is a needle - there are different types of needles (give examples)

"Material/fabric" - examples of different types - grain lines - selvages, etc.

What is appropriate for quilts - why others may not be

Scissors - different types -

Threads -

Marking fabric -

Perhaps suggestions for "if you can have only one, this is the one I recommend:

Rotary cutters, mats, rulers

One can still rotary cut pieces for hand pieced blocks.

Sewing machines - other than the very basic machines, I wouldn't even consider dealing with them in a class.

I think I would keep most of these choices to one or two "practical/usable" ones at the very beginning.

Too many choices are confusing to a beginner.

PiecesinMn

I've been teaching for a number of years through the school district's community ed. I have it stated in the class description that homework would be required if they want to have the quilt finished. I think one of the easiest to teach is the rail fence. My classes are for getting the top together. I stress the three important things you need to do to quilt (1) cut accurately, (2) sew accurately) and (3) press accurately. I do touch on how you can quilt or tie the quilt the last night, but I don't teach specifics. I do okay for me, I don't feel that I am qualified to teach a machine or hand quilting class. Also stated in the description is that they need to bring their own machine. In the material list I send out its states to know their machine and have it in working order. I do provide directions for whatever project we are working on, but I notice over and over people just want me to tell them what to do, they don't want to read instructions. Is this a Minnesota thing??? I am happy to oblige. I also like to get people started and then just go from student to student so that it's more of an individual lesson. Everyone cuts, sews, and irons at different speeds so it works out well.

gzuslivz

Bless you for wanting to teach. It is a great gift you are giving them. My advice would be, don't get discouraged. Sometimes it might seem like you are fighting alone, uphill in the dark. Just keep at it. Your reward is eternal!

SueSew

That sounds like a great approach and a worthwhile class. I think having the instructions written out for each class is great because when you leave you've got them to go by, not "what did she say to do about this?"

And no one in any field wants to read instructions! At computer co where I worked we used the acronym RTFM meaning 'read the manual' because even engineers didn't want to read the software manuals, never mind the customers' IT personnel. Human nature, impatience.