Teaching a Quilting Workshop

Yesterday I taught a quilting workshop for my Quilt Guild. My Guild has a workshop every month where a quild member teaches how to make a certain quilt. The quilt I chose to teach was Late Bloomer's, "Butterfly Love". If you scroll down to the next post you can see my quilt and some of the blocks. It is designed by Elizabeth Scott of The Late Bloomer.

I can't remember if I ever told any of you this; I probably did. Anyway, I have a degree in Elementary Education, but I never went to work. My husband and I started moving around with his job when our oldest two children, Laura and Wade, were 4 and 18 months. We decided it was best for me to be at home with them until they started school. But guess what happened when Wade started Kindergarten? I had another baby! She's in High School now, and I'm still a stay-at-home mom.

To make sure all those dollars spent on my education don't go to waste, I use some of the same teaching techniques, while in college, when I teach a quilting class. No, I don't treat them like Kindergartners, and I don't turn the lights out when they start talking too loud. I do, however, some times use flannel story boards and demonstrate with my sewing machine.

Yesterday I decided to not use the flannel board and instead laid everything out on the table.

Demo on how to do fusible applique is on the table.

Demo on how to do the button hole stitch by machine.

I knew it was going to be a large class (28 signed up and bought the pattern, but 24 came to class), so I planned on dividing the class time up into three sections: learning to fuse and applique, learning to stem-stitch embroidery, and learning how to piece the cute little borders in between the butterflies. We would also do small group demonstrations for each.

I have to tell you this: The night before I practice my quilting demos to make sure I have all the steps in the correct order and my thoughts are together. Poor Wade is usually the one who gets to be my guinea pig. After I was done, he said, "Yep. I think I can do that now. It all makes sense to me!"

It surprised me at how many of the ladies didn't know how to applique or use fusible webbing. I love teaching people new techniques that will make their quilting experience more fun! Heck, after that class they'll know how to applique and do red work embroidery!

Here's Janet and Ila coming back for a second demo on fusible applique.

Janet and Ila learning how to place their applique design on the background fabric.

Not everyone used 30's prints for their butterflies like mine, and I love that!

Pretty pink and green butterflies!

I love these pinks and greens that Anna used. Tracey used Civil War prints, and Starr used Asian fabrics. Several people used fun bright prints.

I feel bad, though. I told Elizabeth that I would shoot lots of pictures. I have more, but it shows detailed demos, and if you saw them you wouldn't need to buy the pattern! By the looks of it, only two ladies came to my class, but I promise there were 24! I was a "busy little quilting teacher" helping those that needed me. I'll shoot pictures when they bring them to the July meeting at Show and Tell. I'm sure more than half of them will have them completed.

Thank you to Elizabeth for designing such a sweet quilt. All of her designs are beautiful. The butterfly was perfect for a summer class. Thanks, too, to Betty, the owner of my favorite quilt shop, The Village Mercantile for ordering the patterns for us.

Oh, and if you happen to be going on the Southern Indiana Shop Hop, be sure to visit The Village Mercantile. They've been busy getting everything ready and the shop is bursting at the seams! Tell Betty and the girls I sent you!

And, there's more!!! I just visited Terry Atkinson at her blog. She and several other Minnesota Quilt Designers are hosting a Blog Hop starting Monday, June 22. You can read more about it at Terry's blog. Each designer is giving a free pattern, a demo, and you can win prizes! So, if Southern Indiana is too far to drive, you can sit in the comfort of your own home and blog hop!

Amanda