Quilt Class Attendance
 

Have you ever attended a paid quilt class but only observed and took notes, making the actual item later in the comfort of your own home? I have done this before and may again on Monday. There was a lot of prep for the class which I have completed. We have the pattern which is very detailed, consisting of 8 pages of small print step-by-step instructions. I dislike lugging all the supplies and my machine to a class setting plus the location is an hour's drive away. Can anyone relate?

I once took a class, where a student "dropped" their machine on route to the first class. She observed the class rather than participated.

I would rather use class time to try the various techniques and complete it outside of class. This allows me to create a sample and to get immediate help if I am struggling with a technique. I usually leave the class knowing I can complete it on my own time, using the sample if necessary.

I can relate that it is difficult to bring your stuff to class but for me it is worth the effort.

Yes, I relate to just watching the technique and stitching later. I am a careful cutter, presser and sewer. In other words, slow and don't want others waiting on me. I don't rush just to finish in class either.

Monday, I took a class and left the machine for the Tuesday class.

This is what I do. I don't even try to complete a project in class. I prefer to spend my class time working on the technique and then completing the project at home.

Well, i dont know how this is gonna sound... but i have been both a student and a teacher - and i totally agree with the idea of just attending the class and working on your own later if that is how you learn and/or feel more comfortable 😊

When my experience consisted of being a student i could be pretty frustrated. I am the type who “enjoys the process” so i can be slower cuz thats how i enjoy things. But... many times after the first couple hours of an all day class i found myself behind - no matter how many of my friends tried to “help me under the table”! I’m serious this happened often in my quilting class journey. Then (in the mid 90’s) it seemed to be pretty much considered rude to kinda sit back at a certain point and just watch and absorb. Im thinking maybe some of the teachers took it kinda personally, but i made sure to clue them in that this was part of how i learned certain things. Most teachers accepted that, maybe a few didnt but i think somehow we all survived! My friends accepted that i learned on my own terms and we kidded around about it.

When i became a teacher years later i made sure to apply the lessons i learned and how i learned them as a student. I always had a class outline and expectations were clear - have a sewing machine in good working order and be familiar with it (bring your manual too). Sometimes prep cutting fabric was needed - sometimes not. I felt it was my job to help each student “where they were” so i purposely kept my classes to 6 students. I could usually size up skill levels and comfort zones in the first hour and proceeded as necessary. You can usually tell if someone is uncomfortable in a group learning situation. I always made it clear that any student was welcome to choose to observe at any point - or during the entire class - that it wouldnt hurt my feelings at all. I still took the class through the entire process so that nobody missed anything. I also made myself available by phone or would meet any student at the shop to help if they were “stuck”. I had to choke back tears sometimes because some of the students were so appreciative of how we handled things. I had many repeat students over the years and was so blessed to see their progress - many became friends. What more could a person ask for?

So... bottomline - you should proceed with a class as you feel comfortable. Machine or no machine, etc. And nobody should have a problem with that - especially not a teacher! You paid for the class, so you should feel free to participate however it best works for you!

I think it's fine as long as you let the teacher know that is your intent before the class starts, otherwise the teacher may think there is a need to get you " up and running", taking up time for everyone.

I’m highly distractible and tend to get nervous around people who are catching on a lot faster or not making mistakes lime I am. I’ve only taken one quilting class and that was my experience.

I took a OBW class quite a few years ago. The instructor insisted we make the 8 piece octagon medallions so we could see how our fabric created the designs. This was over the 6 piece hexagon because that was done in rows. Fast forward to today... the medallions are sewn but no quilt top because I can't lay the d@m~ things out to work in the corner squares. And I sure can't see myself fitting it altogether. And it's turning out too dark for me.
Sigh... it was expensive fabric too...
So .. yeah I can certainly see taking the class, taking notes and working out the details on cheaper fabric.

Interesting thoughts. Some time last year I was in my LQS and asked one of the employees (who is also an instructor there) if it would be possible to just 'observe' a ruler quilting class. I would, obviously, pay for the class but did (and still do) not want to invest in these tools if I felt it was a technique I was not going to be comfortable with - at least initially. Her response was that she didn't think that was possible and I would have to talk with the shop owner. Frankly, I was a bit dismayed by her response and have yet to pursue the subject or class any further.

I'm glad to hear other students are equally interested in 'observing' and that those teachers who have responded are willing to have those of us who are.