New Beginning Quilting Class Sample

I had so much fun yesterday!

I pulled fabric from my stash to create another version of my Odd Girl Out rail fence quilt in order to refresh myself on my beginning quilting class instructions because I’m going to teach the class again, which is actually a piecing class, in a 2 day series of 4 hours each, March 14th and 28th at Jones Sew n Vac, the new sewing machine store in Boise on Fairview avenue.

Once I pulled the fabrics, I headed to Jones Sew n Vac to test the new Pfaff Performance 5.0 machine.  They prominently display all of the Pfaff sewing machines (my favorite!) and carry the new Brother Dream Machine for sewing and embroidery which looks like SO much fun!

This is the same class I taught for Community Education a couple of years ago and I’m really excited to teach it again.  To get started, I’m going to cover tools, choosing fabric, how to cut and sew and we’re going to get the majority of the work done to start work at the next session.

During the second class we’ll put the blocks together learning how to add sashing and borders, then create the back.   My mentor, Marian Drain, taught me a super easy, super fast method of creating a square back that any longarmer will love!

Once I got back home I started playing with the layout of the blocks I’d made. 

I’m partial to the stair step design, but the initial purpose of creating this quilt was to show students how the design would look using 4 - 2.5” strips instead of 5 – 2” strips.

The other factor is that if I don’t use sashing then my quilt is smaller.  Well, that is, using only the first fabrics I pulled.  I may need to create another set of corresponding blocks, similar colors and values, to add to the design, and explain to my students the nature of changing your mind mid-project!

I’d appreciate any feedback, if you care to share your opinion on which way to go.