Saturday, September 5, 2015

Frameable Free Motion Quilted Feather: I taught my first class!!!

This is the class I taught to my quilt guild in August!! 
My first time teaching Free Motion Quilting-(FMQing). 
I put a ton of work into this class and then felt like I was so disorganized!!! 
How does that happen???

Then I got this email from one of the members: 

Hi Martha,

Just wanted to thank you again for the wonderful program!! I really enjoyed it and I learned a lot. I didn't have great expectations for the day....just haven't been enthused and/or confident about FMQ. But you were so thorough in your presentation that I found myself anxious to give it a go! I came home and did another feather, while everything was fresh in my mind. You are always so organized and so generous in all you share with us.

I appreciate all the prep you did for this program...I know you are a busy, busy lady and the amount of work you get done astounds me!

Chris

I cannot express how thankful I was to get that email. It made all the work I had put in worthwhile and maybe I wasn't as disorganized as I felt!!??

I suppose I should fill you in on the rest of the story so the email message makes sense. I still work full time as an RN in a medical office. After 32 years I just took a new position there as the new Care Coordinator. My provider semi-retired August 1st. We are still working together on Thursdays in our Addiction Clinic. We treat opiate addiction, pills, heroin and such. I'm glad we're still doing that, it is a service and a population that is really under served and we desperately need more providers to join us in this fight against addiction!! Prayers for People experiencing addiction needed at all times!!
OK-off my soapbox :^)

Part of my prep work was:
Making step by step drawings of a simple feather
Making quilt samples
Writing an instruction booklet for each participant
Making folders to put all their goodies in
Cutting templates, Heat N Bond and Pellon for each packet
Cutting batting-two for each packet, one wool and one cotton
I ended up with 24 packets, but just 8 quilters stayed to quilt, two did not bring all the proper equipment, like a power cord, so just stayed for the basic instructions.

The following photos are of the guild members working on their feathers.



















Makes me happy seeing these smiling faces!! They did FABULOUS!! Warms my heart :)

If I have the opportunity to do this class again, I know how I will change it up some. 
All in all it went well and we now have some new FMQers!!!

If you want to see more photos, check out our guild blog, Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild, here

I'm going to finish up some of the quilt samples I made, this one is next on the list to do!!


Take Care, Happy Quilting, and keep those minds sharp!!!
Martha

8 comments:

  1. Oooohhh Martha. This is wonderful! I would love for you to come teach this at our guild in Sisters. My friend who purchased your postcard at the Quilt Show is in charge of arranging for guest speakers. I know she would be delighted if you could somehow come. I know you are busy, but I can only dream.

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  2. That would be a lot of fun Nola!! Is your guild really big?? This is something for me to think about, I think I could do it!! Husband and I could come over and spend the night which would be a lot of fun. Hmmmmmm

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  3. sounds lke a wonderful day was had by all ansd so creative, if pnly you wre ver here I could come too.
    What a rewarding career you have so worthwhile helping those who have fallen into addiction of one kind or another along with mental heath issues these areas do not get enough funding well not in the Uk that is. If only we could rid this world of drugs what a great difference it would make to all the families effected by them

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    1. Thank you Margaret! I wish I was there in England, wouldn't that be fun. Someday maybe we can make the trip and I can teach. Wow, that would be fabulous!!!
      I do feel fortunate to be working in the field of nursing and caring for others. I truly wish we had better health care for our friends and families who are experiencing mental health issues. But we are working on it!! I recently took a class called Mental Health First Aid which was started in Australia. Really good class. Actually, fabulous class, it should be taught in the schools!!!
      Take care and have a fabulous weekend!!!

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  4. What a nice thing you did for the ladies!! Your work was really appreciated too.

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    1. Thank You Marjorie!! It was a fun day, but I was so exhausted afterwards. I think I over-stressed about the whole class, but it did turn out nice!!!

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  5. Your huge amount of prep work no doubt made the class the great success it was! And, if you have some packets left for your next class, so much the better! You know there will be more classes as folks find out about your great tutorial! Well done!

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    1. Thank You Pat!! And yes, I may be going to Sisters to teach this class to the quilt guild there!!! A friend of mine, Nola in the first comment, asked if I would come over, so I may just do that!!! And I love visiting Sisters, so relaxing there!!!

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