Horrible Quilting Class
11-07-2010, 12:37 PM
#31
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,811
I am so sorry you had such a bad experience. If you are ever "here" and not "there" and would like to have some fun, we could make a weekend workshop for 1. I would love to sit down with anyone who wants to learn. I used to teach beginner quilting in New Hampshire and here at the Junior College in Adult Ed. I love to see the light bulb go on and then brighten when the "bug" hits a student.
Quilting is such a wonderful experience and I am so sorry yours wasn't anything to have good memories from. Don't let that stop you from taking other classes, though. Is there a school that offers Continuing Adult Ed classes. Perhaps they have a quilting class you could take. Is there another quilt shop you could take classes from?
If not, then we are right here at the end of your fingers to help you through any rough spots as you learn. Just post a thread with your problem and there will be an almost instant response. This is the neatest bunch of people I've ever found!!!!
Good luck & God bless.
Quilting is such a wonderful experience and I am so sorry yours wasn't anything to have good memories from. Don't let that stop you from taking other classes, though. Is there a school that offers Continuing Adult Ed classes. Perhaps they have a quilting class you could take. Is there another quilt shop you could take classes from?
If not, then we are right here at the end of your fingers to help you through any rough spots as you learn. Just post a thread with your problem and there will be an almost instant response. This is the neatest bunch of people I've ever found!!!!
Good luck & God bless.
11-07-2010, 12:46 PM
#32
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 5,453
Originally Posted by SherryLea
I have tried to teach myself but really need to take a class, I wish I could find someone to come to my house and sit with me and answer the many questions I have. I am so afraid to go to a class as I do not know how to do so many things you should know. I have made several quilts, but nothing like the beautiful ones I see on this forum. Mine are more just squares sewed together and attached to batting and a backing.
i thought it was awesome! of course, like everything in life..the teacher made the class good. could of gotten a bad one.
i knew nothing about quilting back then, and this class got me hooked! i made about 10 rag quilts! LOL! then i moved up to a 9 patch block/quilt, then rail fence,then a warm wishes..and up and on my way.!
what city in Texas are you in sherry? maybe someone here is close to you. I am in Detroit, so i am out of the question! but my heart is with you!
11-07-2010, 04:38 PM
#33
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: near Tucson, Arizona
Posts: 5,841
Originally Posted by Jan in VA
As a former shop owner, it hurts me to read this sort of thing, to hear of a student so unhappy. We always handed out a class/teacher critique form at the end of class -- and it was collected by the staff at the register, NOT by the teacher. The forms went into a sealed envelop for MY desk. Teachers with problems were not invited back to teach. If they chose to leave their contact information, students were contacted by me personally to work out any problems or to hear more details of their complaint. Conversely, teachers who were highly praised got that recognition as well!
Even though, for most shops, classes do not fill the coffers, they do create new customers, keep regular customers happy, and increase general knowledge in the quilting community. WHY on earth would a shop shoot themselves in the foot by offending even a small percentage of the students?!
I constantly find that I ran my shop a bit differently than most I hear about, and I was quite successful, with a happy staff. I had to learn quickly that business was business and friendship was bull; the customer was highly important, but keeping a happy, empowered, loyal staff was extremely important as well. Thankfully, (honestly!) we did not sell machines, we were a QUILT store and it was definitely enough!
Jan in VA (for those who care, owner of the now closed Silver Threads of Plano, TX.)
Even though, for most shops, classes do not fill the coffers, they do create new customers, keep regular customers happy, and increase general knowledge in the quilting community. WHY on earth would a shop shoot themselves in the foot by offending even a small percentage of the students?!
I constantly find that I ran my shop a bit differently than most I hear about, and I was quite successful, with a happy staff. I had to learn quickly that business was business and friendship was bull; the customer was highly important, but keeping a happy, empowered, loyal staff was extremely important as well. Thankfully, (honestly!) we did not sell machines, we were a QUILT store and it was definitely enough!
Jan in VA (for those who care, owner of the now closed Silver Threads of Plano, TX.)
:wink:
11-07-2010, 05:02 PM
#35
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 3,155
Seems we have all have good and bad experiences with classes. I have taked several classes, but in my area classes and kits are expensive. There are many snowbirds here for the winter, looking for entertainment.
LOS charge high fees for classes and kits, I feel they lose sight local people. I have taked couple of classes that where just social talking about who was doing whatever.
LOS charge high fees for classes and kits, I feel they lose sight local people. I have taked couple of classes that where just social talking about who was doing whatever.
11-07-2010, 05:07 PM
#36
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SoCal
Posts: 11,903
My experience taking classes varied. Overal the classes where good and you got out of it what you put in. I did get tired of ladies cutting down their DH or ex DH. Maybe that is not the right place to come and vent. I ended up starting a small group at my house. I am sorry money/status was the focus. All you need is a straight stitch.
11-07-2010, 05:12 PM
#37
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SoCal
Posts: 11,903
Originally Posted by BellaBoo
The first quilt shop class I went to I brought in my huge tub of scraps and my old Singer 301 and when I started sorting through my scraps it was like the ice broke, everyone became interested in helping me combine fabrics and picking out fabrics that they could use from my tub. I had a good time even though the instructor wasn't very good and kept leaving the class room after showing a demo of what to do.
11-07-2010, 06:53 PM
#40
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Texas Gulf Coast
Posts: 1,463
I have taken one class - just this past summer - and it got me hooked. This forum is where I have learned more than from the class, but the class got me started.
The teacher is our local retired home ec teacher so her patience and experience teaching were a huge bonus. She limits the class to 4 people. Says she can't give enough attention when there's more than that. The class is held after hours at the LQS, but the teacher is paid directly - not through the shop. The project was a small sampler quilt. We got it finished through the sandwich, but the last class had us machine quilting and putting binding on scrap squares she provided - we didn't finish our project through the class, but had the skills to do so.
The class met 4 times - every two weeks - from 6:00 - 9:00 PM. Other beginner classes were held during daytime hours.
We selected fabrics at the LQS with either the teacher or the shop owner's help. Nothing said we had to purchase our fabric there, but we all did - as beginners we had no clue where to start otherwise. We should have been given a list of supplies needed, an overview of each lesson's objectives, and an idea of the end product before the class began, but we were not. Many were disappointed at the size of the finished project (about 36" square) compared to the amount of fabric purchased. Had a friend who took a differect session of the same class who just kept making blocks from her material until she got a full sized quilt out of it. Wish I'd thought of that. I use mine as a table topper and feel that the skills gained were worth the price of the class even if the finished project probably wasn't.
I'm now looking for a machine quilting class held either on Saturdays or next summer anywhere within an hour's drive and so far have not found one. Several shops have answered my email saying they'll let me know if one is scheduled.
I took the class with a friend and highly recommend that!
The teacher is our local retired home ec teacher so her patience and experience teaching were a huge bonus. She limits the class to 4 people. Says she can't give enough attention when there's more than that. The class is held after hours at the LQS, but the teacher is paid directly - not through the shop. The project was a small sampler quilt. We got it finished through the sandwich, but the last class had us machine quilting and putting binding on scrap squares she provided - we didn't finish our project through the class, but had the skills to do so.
The class met 4 times - every two weeks - from 6:00 - 9:00 PM. Other beginner classes were held during daytime hours.
We selected fabrics at the LQS with either the teacher or the shop owner's help. Nothing said we had to purchase our fabric there, but we all did - as beginners we had no clue where to start otherwise. We should have been given a list of supplies needed, an overview of each lesson's objectives, and an idea of the end product before the class began, but we were not. Many were disappointed at the size of the finished project (about 36" square) compared to the amount of fabric purchased. Had a friend who took a differect session of the same class who just kept making blocks from her material until she got a full sized quilt out of it. Wish I'd thought of that. I use mine as a table topper and feel that the skills gained were worth the price of the class even if the finished project probably wasn't.
I'm now looking for a machine quilting class held either on Saturdays or next summer anywhere within an hour's drive and so far have not found one. Several shops have answered my email saying they'll let me know if one is scheduled.
I took the class with a friend and highly recommend that!
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