Review of Westalee Rulers Course
10-23-2017, 05:00 PM
#1
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 4,349
Review of Westalee Rulers Course
Some people have asked about this course that I took and to see the results, so I thought I'd do a little write-up about it.
This was a 7 week course of about 3 hours each night, plus homework, so it was pretty intensive, especially as I did it at night after work.
The end result was a Quilt as You Go quilt, but I don't have mine all put together yet.
You have to purchase the ruler template set. There are 6 rulers in the set. It's important to buy the spacer gauge, but that is only $10.00 or so. One thing I wasn't prepared for was that I had to buy a marking ruler, which was over $60.00. So, factor that in.
Be sure you have good, fine-tipped marking pens/pencils. You use them a lot.
I really enjoyed the course. Each night there were videos that Leonie from Westalee leads to teach you how to sew each pattern. She's very thorough. You also get the videos to take home so that if you get stuck you can review it. She gives you a lot of tips as you go, so it's important to watch the videos.
You sew about half of each pattern in class and do the rest at home. Some we got done in class.
Ruler work takes a lot of concentration and paying attention to which marks you are using and when.
The last class was a lesson on QaYG, which is a great skill to learn.
I think the success of this course would really depend on your instructor. Mine was fantastic and knew this stuff inside out.
I don't have too many negatives. I think there was a bit too much waste of fabric, but understand that not everyone is used to free motion and might need more to hang onto around the edges while they were working.
I would like to have known about the marking ruler ahead of time so I could budget for it.
Otherwise, it was fun and something I will use, I'm sure.
Watson
I've included some pics of some of the blocks even though they aren't attached yet, to give you an idea of what we did in class.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]582838[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]582839[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]582842[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]582843[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]582844[/ATTACH]
This was a 7 week course of about 3 hours each night, plus homework, so it was pretty intensive, especially as I did it at night after work.
The end result was a Quilt as You Go quilt, but I don't have mine all put together yet.
You have to purchase the ruler template set. There are 6 rulers in the set. It's important to buy the spacer gauge, but that is only $10.00 or so. One thing I wasn't prepared for was that I had to buy a marking ruler, which was over $60.00. So, factor that in.
Be sure you have good, fine-tipped marking pens/pencils. You use them a lot.
I really enjoyed the course. Each night there were videos that Leonie from Westalee leads to teach you how to sew each pattern. She's very thorough. You also get the videos to take home so that if you get stuck you can review it. She gives you a lot of tips as you go, so it's important to watch the videos.
You sew about half of each pattern in class and do the rest at home. Some we got done in class.
Ruler work takes a lot of concentration and paying attention to which marks you are using and when.
The last class was a lesson on QaYG, which is a great skill to learn.
I think the success of this course would really depend on your instructor. Mine was fantastic and knew this stuff inside out.
I don't have too many negatives. I think there was a bit too much waste of fabric, but understand that not everyone is used to free motion and might need more to hang onto around the edges while they were working.
I would like to have known about the marking ruler ahead of time so I could budget for it.
Otherwise, it was fun and something I will use, I'm sure.
Watson
I've included some pics of some of the blocks even though they aren't attached yet, to give you an idea of what we did in class.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]582838[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]582839[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]582842[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]582843[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]582844[/ATTACH]
10-23-2017, 07:38 PM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: kansas
Posts: 6,407
great job, Watson--I especially like the lime green one. Wow--information and sounds like you enjoyed it and learned a lot. By spacing ruler, what do you mean? that does sound expensive! Can't wait to see all the cool stuff that you plan to do on that one judie Neimeyer quilt.
10-24-2017, 02:58 AM
#6
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Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Va.
Posts: 5,752
Thanks for the review Watson! Your ruler work is looking good. Did you do all the patterns with the introductory 6 ruler set that comes with the foot or are there some that incorporated other rulers? Did the class also use the book that is out for using the introductory set?
Rob
Rob
10-24-2017, 03:42 AM
#7
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Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 4,349
Rob, the only one that didn't come with the set, was the circles on the light turquoise. I did that with my own Circles on Quilts ruler because I missed that class.
We didn't use the book, just the video.
The spacer gauge is a small tool that has different widths on it so that you can accurately space how far apart things are on your quilt. https://www.punchwithjudy.com.au/sho...-Westalee.html It's especially useful for doing long 1/4" lines.
The crosshair square ruler was the surprise purchase, what I called the marking ruler, but you really needed it to get your landmarks in the right spot for the designs. http://ribbonrose.co.nz/catalogue/pr...riety-markers/ Be careful with this as it breaks REALLY easily.
Watson
We didn't use the book, just the video.
The spacer gauge is a small tool that has different widths on it so that you can accurately space how far apart things are on your quilt. https://www.punchwithjudy.com.au/sho...-Westalee.html It's especially useful for doing long 1/4" lines.
The crosshair square ruler was the surprise purchase, what I called the marking ruler, but you really needed it to get your landmarks in the right spot for the designs. http://ribbonrose.co.nz/catalogue/pr...riety-markers/ Be careful with this as it breaks REALLY easily.
Watson
Last edited by Watson; 10-24-2017 at 03:45 AM.
10-24-2017, 04:52 AM
#8
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 15,948
Thanks for the review. I bought the starter kit but haven't taken any lessons. I quilted a baby quilt trying out the different designs. I was surprised at how easy the rulers were to use and how many different designs I could make. I don't have the spacing or marking ruler.
10-24-2017, 05:16 AM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Mount Pleasant, WI
Posts: 579
Thanks for the review. I did not even know there were classes on this kind of work. The set I purchased came with the book, so I have been just working out of that but it does not show a couple of the designs you did. Your samples came out wonderful! I am really looking forward to see your quilt:-)
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