Quilting Classes and a new BOM

I get calls about teaching quilting a lot.  In the past, I was always too busy teaching high school chemistry and physics to even think (or feel like) teaching another group of people, even if it was on a subject I loved.  But since I retired in '08 from the classroom, I found I missed teaching.  So the next group that called me about teaching a quilt class or two, I eagerly accepted.

And I'm glad I did.  I love teaching in general and teaching quilting, something I have such passion about, is doubly rewarding.  But I have learned something very valuable along the way.  There is a big difference between teaching someone how to quilt and teaching someone how to make a quilt.  Almost anytime I post a quilt on my facebook account or someone sees one of my quilts either under construction or finished, I'm invariably asked, "Can you teach me how to quilt?"

That's not what this person really means.  What they mean is "Can you teach me how to make this quilt?"  And I can.  And quite often I do.  However, that's not really teaching someone how to quilt.  Teaching someone how to quilt involves at least six months of meeting once a week and going over numerous skills before a finished product comes out of the process.  But if someone really wants to learn how to quilt, this is the way I do it.  By the end of the classes, they can piece and quilt just about anything they want to. 

Teaching someone how to make one of my quilts is valuable.  They'll learn tricks and tips and some of the skills learned can be transferred to other quilts.  But they won't come away with full knowledge. 

And this makes me a little sad and a little worried, too.  Like most artisians and crafters, I'm well aware that most arts are just one generation from being forgotten about and gone.  I'm always excited to see young people in my classes or in my quilt groups.  But I want these folks...young and old...to come away at some point with a full knowledge of the craft, not just bits and pieces.

So there is a big difference in teaching someone how to quilt and how to make a quilt.

Anyway...enough of that rambling.

I am excited because next month the Quilting Cuties are starting a new block-of-the-month.  We're doing Mothers of the Bible and it's awesome   The pattern is by Carol Honderich and her company patternsoffath.com.  She has some wonderful patterns centering around quilting through the Psalms and the women of the Bible.  They blocks are 6 inches finished and I'm busy trying to enlarge the patterns for 12 inch finished blocks.  Some of the blocks are easy to do...others are decidedly more challenging.  It's expanding my skills and trying my patience.  But below are sneak peeks.