Teaching Beginning Quilters

 A brand new beginning quilting class started this week and I remember why I love teaching beginners so much. They want to learn. They are frustrated with parts of the process--the cutting, sewing and pressing. Each of those steps is important and each can be made easier to learn with the tips and tricks I have developed over the years.

This class is a simple 9 Patch quilt made in 3 sessions, 3 hours each. All 5 students successfully made 2 blocks in the first class--they said to tell you they are all smiling:

Each learned more than they thought they would--which is my primary goal for every class I teach. And each said they would be able to do a better job on the next 10 blocks they will make this week. I look forward to spending more time with these students in the next 2 sessions and hope to addict one of them, completely and totally, to quilting--another one of my teaching goals.

Let's take a tour of the new shop in my county: Sweet Home Quilting and Supplies.

Owner Robin Price is an amazing longarm quilter and was not content to just quilt for the public when she had a vision to offer INNOVA machines for sale and teach longarm skills to those who want to do their own quilting. It took a tremendous effort over the last year for her to make this dream a reality and the shop is now up and running. 

I liked Robin from the first day I met her as a student in my class Long Time Gone. Little did I know then that she would become a good friend and a member of the Sunday Sew and Sews, a group of 15 of us who meet monthly at my home for discussion on quilts and life. In that class Robin met Linda, who has become her first employee. Robin's husband, Chris, is a huge supporter of her dream, Robin in the middle, Linda on the right:

Robin wants to offer patterns and fabrics not readily available at the 3 other local shops. She also offers longarm services from simple edge to edge to incredible custom work. And longarm classes if you want to quilt your own quilts in her shop.

 Here are a few photos of this bright and welcoming shop:

The checkout desk, featuring an award-winning quilt made by Linda and quilted by Robin:

Class samples for the 3 classes I am teaching there this fall:

 

Blue Ribbon wining quilt made by another Sunday Sew and Sew, Brenda, also an employee now, and quilted by Robin:

Allison Glass patterns:

A large selection of wide backs in great colors and Laura Heine Collage patterns: 

Wendy Williams patterns, Flying Fish Kits:

Luscious wool fabrics and threads for those who love that and Cherrywood Fabrics: 

A prize winning Modern Quilt Robin quilted that was featured at QuiltCon 2019 and won First Place in Modern Quilts, at Heritage Quilters of Huntsville's Fanfare 2019:

Every quilt shop needs a notions wall:

New inventory is added every week. If you are anywhere in the neighborhood, I encourage you to stop in. This is the kind of shop where they want to know your name and will greet you with a friendly face, covered in a mask currently. And they ship if you see something you just have to have so Shop Online. Support local shops, if you expect them to survive!

Let's quilt.

Barbara