Teaching a new quilter

Howdy all!
A co-worker has asked me to teach her to quilt. She is not comfortable
in group settings, and has a hectic schedule. She doesn't know how to
sew, but has done needlepoint, cross-stitch, and macrame so she knows
hand-eye coordination. She seems to have a good sense of color based
on what she wears to work )

I have four sewing machines, but only my Singer Stylist 834 is up and
running. I plan to go get my 401A out of storage and serviced, set
that up for me, then get my 834 serviced. My friend is in a tight
money situation so she will be given my 834 to use as long as she
wants, and if she decides to continue on sewing/ quilting and her
daughter wants to also, I will figure some kind of "deal" for her.
It's the least I can do! It probably won't be until Oct this all
starts so the machines can get set up.

My question, do you have hints/tips/ideas just how to proceed? I
remember the way I was taught, but not the details it was so long ago!
Thinking of letting her look at simple patterns, find one she is
excited about so the enthusiasm won't fade, then go for it! What do
you remember when you were learning? what didn't happen you wish had?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Have a peace-filled/piece-filled day,
Ginger in CA
aka Ink Princess

Patience, praise, a sense of humor and simplicity. I'm teaching an absolute
beginner with some disabilities. When I think that I'm just never going to
succeed, I remember that I am sharing with her a very precious gift and keep
going.
I began with letting her stipple a sandwich - and promised that I would
call Directory Assistance and ask for the phone number of 911 if she
stitched her fingers down. Insisted, many times that she breathe and hold
her tongue "just so".
Kate Dicey would laugh but I actually showed my beginner how to sew over
pins today. That's just how it had to be for her to sew an even seam.
Do begin with a panel (I just can't call them cheaters) or a pattern
that does not demand accurate matching; that can come later, first you need
the joy of quilting. I wish you great success. I wish me great success too.
Polly

"Ginger in CA" wrote in message
m...
Howdy all!
A co-worker has asked me to teach her to quilt. She is not comfortable
in group settings, and has a hectic schedule. She doesn't know how to
sew, but has done needlepoint, cross-stitch, and macrame so she knows
hand-eye coordination. She seems to have a good sense of color based
on what she wears to work )

I have four sewing machines, but only my Singer Stylist 834 is up and
running. I plan to go get my 401A out of storage and serviced, set
that up for me, then get my 834 serviced. My friend is in a tight
money situation so she will be given my 834 to use as long as she
wants, and if she decides to continue on sewing/ quilting and her
daughter wants to also, I will figure some kind of "deal" for her.
It's the least I can do! It probably won't be until Oct this all
starts so the machines can get set up.

My question, do you have hints/tips/ideas just how to proceed? I
remember the way I was taught, but not the details it was so long ago!
Thinking of letting her look at simple patterns, find one she is
excited about so the enthusiasm won't fade, then go for it! What do
you remember when you were learning? what didn't happen you wish had?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Have a peace-filled/piece-filled day,
Ginger in CA
aka Ink Princess

The first quilt class I took used a Stack n Slash type of pattern. It was
so easy, I got hooked. I made all my blocks the first day & when I didn't
like the fabric combinations I picked, I went out & bought more fabric &
made my blocks all over again (20 blocks). I don't know if there are any
freebie patterns on the net, but 2 authors I know of that design this style
of quilt are Jan Mullen & Karla Alexander. I think they both have published
more than 1 book using this style.
The 2nd quilt class I took was a sampler quilt & that was a good learning
experience as well, but hands down, the stack n slash would my pick for a
first quilt.

Pauline
"Ginger in CA" wrote in message
m...
Howdy all!
A co-worker has asked me to teach her to quilt. She is not comfortable
in group settings, and has a hectic schedule. She doesn't know how to
sew, but has done needlepoint, cross-stitch, and macrame so she knows
hand-eye coordination. She seems to have a good sense of color based
on what she wears to work )

I have four sewing machines, but only my Singer Stylist 834 is up and
running. I plan to go get my 401A out of storage and serviced, set
that up for me, then get my 834 serviced. My friend is in a tight
money situation so she will be given my 834 to use as long as she
wants, and if she decides to continue on sewing/ quilting and her
daughter wants to also, I will figure some kind of "deal" for her.
It's the least I can do! It probably won't be until Oct this all
starts so the machines can get set up.

My question, do you have hints/tips/ideas just how to proceed? I
remember the way I was taught, but not the details it was so long ago!
Thinking of letting her look at simple patterns, find one she is
excited about so the enthusiasm won't fade, then go for it! What do
you remember when you were learning? what didn't happen you wish had?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Have a peace-filled/piece-filled day,
Ginger in CA
aka Ink Princess

I basically taught myself , with Alex Anderson's book, "Start Quilting".
Lots of good info int here, not too big to be itimidating, and explained in
simple terms.
Later I got "Practically Perfect Patchwork", which is more technical.
On a side note, why don't the book companies that put out pattern books make
them spiral bound so they lay flat? That's the main reason I tend to end up
buying magazines more, cuz they lay flat, so you can study the pattern.
HTH!
Michelle in Gander

"Ginger in CA" wrote in message
m...
Howdy all!
A co-worker has asked me to teach her to quilt. She is not comfortable
in group settings, and has a hectic schedule. She doesn't know how to
sew, but has done needlepoint, cross-stitch, and macrame so she knows
hand-eye coordination. She seems to have a good sense of color based
on what she wears to work )

I have four sewing machines, but only my Singer Stylist 834 is up and
running. I plan to go get my 401A out of storage and serviced, set
that up for me, then get my 834 serviced. My friend is in a tight
money situation so she will be given my 834 to use as long as she
wants, and if she decides to continue on sewing/ quilting and her
daughter wants to also, I will figure some kind of "deal" for her.
It's the least I can do! It probably won't be until Oct this all
starts so the machines can get set up.

My question, do you have hints/tips/ideas just how to proceed? I
remember the way I was taught, but not the details it was so long ago!
Thinking of letting her look at simple patterns, find one she is
excited about so the enthusiasm won't fade, then go for it! What do
you remember when you were learning? what didn't happen you wish had?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Have a peace-filled/piece-filled day,
Ginger in CA
aka Ink Princess

Hullo Ginger
You may find that the teaching will develop as you go along with your
friend!
I know some people say this doesn't matter; but I still suggest starting
with something small (in her favourite pattern), so that she has
something finished *quickly* and without too great an investment of time
or money. I did a set of table mats and have always been pleased I did
that.
The thing I remember from my first lessons was that, although our
teacher brought beautiful quilts to show us, she always also brought one
to illustrate a point which she had made early on, so it had mistakes in
it. Seeing that she could progress from the mistakes we all make, to the
gorgeous ones she had been doing more recently was an extremely
encouraging facet of the lessons.
Have fun!
..
In article , Ginger in
CA writes
Howdy all!
A co-worker has asked me to teach her to quilt. She is not comfortable
in group settings, and has a hectic schedule. She doesn't know how to
sew, but has done needlepoint, cross-stitch, and macrame so she knows
hand-eye coordination. She seems to have a good sense of color based
on what she wears to work )

I have four sewing machines, but only my Singer Stylist 834 is up and
running. I plan to go get my 401A out of storage and serviced, set
that up for me, then get my 834 serviced. My friend is in a tight
money situation so she will be given my 834 to use as long as she
wants, and if she decides to continue on sewing/ quilting and her
daughter wants to also, I will figure some kind of "deal" for her.
It's the least I can do! It probably won't be until Oct this all
starts so the machines can get set up.

My question, do you have hints/tips/ideas just how to proceed? I
remember the way I was taught, but not the details it was so long ago!
Thinking of letting her look at simple patterns, find one she is
excited about so the enthusiasm won't fade, then go for it! What do
you remember when you were learning? what didn't happen you wish had?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Have a peace-filled/piece-filled day,
Ginger in CA
aka Ink Princess

--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

I asked this question of a quilt book author, Joanne Larson-Line from the
Quiltmaker's Gift. She was encouraging us to go have our books spiral bound.
Her answer.........cost. They would have to charge more. Incidently, some of
the Quilt In A Day books are spiral bound.

Betty

"Michelle in Gander" wrote in message
...
I basically taught myself , with Alex Anderson's book, "Start Quilting".
Lots of good info int here, not too big to be itimidating, and explained
in
simple terms.
Later I got "Practically Perfect Patchwork", which is more technical.
On a side note, why don't the book companies that put out pattern books
make
them spiral bound so they lay flat? That's the main reason I tend to end
up
buying magazines more, cuz they lay flat, so you can study the pattern.
HTH!
Michelle in Gander

"Ginger in CA" wrote in message
m...
Howdy all!
A co-worker has asked me to teach her to quilt. She is not comfortable
in group settings, and has a hectic schedule. She doesn't know how to
sew, but has done needlepoint, cross-stitch, and macrame so she knows
hand-eye coordination. She seems to have a good sense of color based
on what she wears to work )

I have four sewing machines, but only my Singer Stylist 834 is up and
running. I plan to go get my 401A out of storage and serviced, set
that up for me, then get my 834 serviced. My friend is in a tight
money situation so she will be given my 834 to use as long as she
wants, and if she decides to continue on sewing/ quilting and her
daughter wants to also, I will figure some kind of "deal" for her.
It's the least I can do! It probably won't be until Oct this all
starts so the machines can get set up.

My question, do you have hints/tips/ideas just how to proceed? I
remember the way I was taught, but not the details it was so long ago!
Thinking of letting her look at simple patterns, find one she is
excited about so the enthusiasm won't fade, then go for it! What do
you remember when you were learning? what didn't happen you wish had?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Have a peace-filled/piece-filled day,
Ginger in CA
aka Ink Princess

Michelle in Gander wrote:

I basically taught myself , with Alex Anderson's book, "Start Quilting".
Lots of good info int here, not too big to be itimidating, and explained in
simple terms.
Later I got "Practically Perfect Patchwork", which is more technical.
On a side note, why don't the book companies that put out pattern books make
them spiral bound so they lay flat? That's the main reason I tend to end up
buying magazines more, cuz they lay flat, so you can study the pattern.

You can always take the book to Kinko's, Office Max, Staples or the
equivalant in Gander, and have them cut off the binding and make it into
a spiral bound. I did this with my Dear Jane book. I highly recommend
doing that!

-georg

Good to read the letters by "old timers." Brought up some very
important thoughts on teaching others--it is more than just teaching
someone. It is an awesome responsibility. My 12-year old granddaughter
asked me to "teach" her to quilt and I just picked it up a few months
ago myself, learning from books and a couple of nice ladies at the
Senior Center. I have in mind to start with the nine patch and show her
how easy it is. But like I am saying, I appreciate your letters,
reminding me of other aspects of teaching.

I can also let her know about this group.

Teach 2 blocks: Rail Fence and Swamp Patch (page 65 in The Quilter's
Album of Blocks & Borders). You'll see why I chose those 2 in a second.


Go to the fabric store together. Have your student choose a focus
fabric with lots of color. Explain about using the focus to choose more
fabrics getting a variety of darks, mediums and lights; smalls, mediums
and larges. Let her choose. Add a few that you think would go well
too. Get quarter yards of everything.


Lesson One is hand piecing a single block. I know she's not primarily
interesting in hand piecing, but you can talk to her about grain line
and seam allowance. Show her how to draft the block to 12". Make
templates. Even if she decides she's a machine quilter, knowing how to
hand sew a single block will get her out of a jam somewhere down the
line. You demo one block. She makes one block. Let her choose where
to put the fabrics. Start with Rail Fence. If she likes it and wants
to do another, or if she hates it an obviously needs more practice, move
on to Swamp Patch. This way she'll see the difference in working with
rectangles and working with triangles.


Lesson Two is machine piecing with templates. You make a block. She
makes a block. She chooses the fabrics from the matching ones you
bought. She learns seam allowances.


Lesson Three is rotary cutting the rail fence.


Lesson Four is strip piecing the rail fence.


5. A speed method for the half square triangles in Swamp Patch.
(Complete the block.)

6. The quarter square triangles in Swamp Patch. (Complete the block.)


In each lesson, she chooses different fabrics. The blocks go up on the
design wall. She rearranges them. She starts to see what you were
talking about with the lights and darks. She sees how too many solids
look flat and too many large prints look busy. She makes up her own
mind as to how much she likes flat or busy.


7. Arrange them with sashing. Arrange them on point. Introduce the
concept of removing a perfectly good block that doesn't go with this
particular quilt. Consider 2 baby quilts or one larger one. Make a few
more blocks with whatever method appeals or needs more practice.


8. Put together the top.


9. Borders. Buy more fabric at this point if needed.

It sounds like you have to teach her some general sewing skills as well
as the more specific quilting skills. Since she already does some
needlework, you may want to start with hand piecing. If she has never
used a sewing machine, you will have to start with basic sewing machine
skills such as guiding the fabric through the machine so that the
stitching goes where you want it to. You may want to start with some
exercises where you draw some shapes on paper and have her stitch along
the lines without thread in the needle. Start with straight lines, then
corners, then gentle curves.

Once she has mastered maneuvering something through the sewing machine,
start with a really simple pattern like a four patch or rail fence. Both
of these are patterns where a consistent seam allowance is more
important than a seam allowance that measures exactly 1/4 inch. Start
with a small project so that she has something to show for her work
rather quickly.

Julia in MN
--
This message has been scanned for viruses by Norton Anti-Virus

http://webpages.charter.net/jaccola/