fruitloop

There seems to me a lot of quilt instructors going around lecturing and giving classes and very few of them have actually won at any of the bigger quilt shows. Some say I don't make quilts to enter shows. To me this means they teach to sell patterns or books. Which is fine, it's a good job. The best and most excellent quilt classes I have taken have been from quilters that have won many big show awards. They teach how to make a quilt, not how to follow a pattern. Anyone feel most teachers are teaching how to follow a pattern?

donna13350

I think it depends on what class they're teaching. Some classes are about technique, or how to use a gadget, or how to make a block faster with a certain method. I don't care if anyone has won an award or not, if they know something that I can learn, then I want to talk to them, or take their class. If you limit yourself to only show winners, you'll be missing out on a lot of knowledge.

QuiltE

First of all, I'd like to say that a lot of the lesser-knowns or even unknowns are great teachers.
They should not be discounted as being lesser-than those with the big names!

Too, I have had classes with a couple of big names and oh what a disaster ...
TBH they did not have what it takes to make a class successful.

Yes there are not so desirable teachers/instructors out there,
but that goes for both the big names, and downwards in skills and abilities.

When signing up for a class, I will suggest, one should know what they are looking for in the class,
and whether they feel their $ will be well spent on it.

It never hurts to research about the leader in advance.
Just as it is important to know how large the class size will be.
Do they meet your personal requirements?

dunster

I'm another who doesn't care whether or not the teacher has won awards, or even whether she quilts for competition. The ones I've learned the most from are just excellent quilters who spend their time spreading that knowledge rather than making show quilts.

fruitloop

I guess it's just how I feel about it. I have not had a bad experience either way but learn more from the awarded quilters.

Onebyone

My experience is that the non award quilters have a better teaching style and lots of personality. I have learned a lot of great quilting skills from the award winners but have had more fun in learning a new pattern class. I will always choose an award winning quilter class over non if I have the option. I tend to learn something from every class though.

Tothill

I have never though to check if a quilting instructor has won an award. That is not important to me at all.

I am not saying none have won awards, just that it is not something I look for in an instructor.

Also the expertise that goes into make an award winning quilt does not necessarily translate into being a great instructor. This applies to many fields beyond quilting.

I also think it truly depends on what a person wants to learn from a class. I am not looking to make award winning quilts, I am not a stickler for perfect piecing, pressing and quilting. Give me a class that helps me to move out of my comfort zone. I love a class that touches on colour theory.

I am looking forward to an improve class next month. I have no idea if Karen has won awards for her quilting, I am sure I could look that up. I do know she has a great personality, she is heavily involved in Quilt Canada and I am thrilled to take another of her classes.

And the classes I have taken are not about following a pattern, but patterns are sometimes used. It is more for inspiration. I love an instructor who is encouraging, not one who expects their students to make a perfect quilt.

Tartan

​I do enjoy learning how someone else does a technique but if I like their work, it doesn’t matter to me if they are award winners or not. Some award winnng quilts are not my style or something I would be interested in doing.

cashs_mom

Well, said QuiltE! I agree with all of it.

Peckish

I don't take classes because the teacher is someone famous. I take the class because the teacher is teaching something I want to learn. If I don't feel that I've learned what I came for, I ask lots of questions, or have a conversation with the teacher about what I really wanted to learn and what was missing from the class, or as a last resort, I would ask for a refund. (I've never had to go that far.) I've never met a teacher who wasn't willing to give me a few pointers or answer some questions.