Learn as I Teach. Teach as I Learn.

Hand work is really taking off in my life right now.  I am so grateful.  More and more people & groups are asking me to teach.  I love a needle and thread like a painter loves a brush and paint.  I spoke to a dear friend this morning about how we start off as artists and then somehow we shift into the realm of teaching whether we plan it that way or not.  It was a good conversation.

packing supplies & samples for a class

When it comes to teaching, I don't have a lot to go on.  I have been teaching creative sewing classes for three years now, but haven't attended a lot of classes myself.  I was terrified of teaching large groups (8+) but after leading a couple workshops for groups of 15+ in Manitoba, I found that it is indeed possible!  Still, I often wonder if I doing this right.  I got some wonderful positive feedback in my last Postcards class which really helped.  I asked for clarification and it sparked some great conversation - things I'd never considered.

 

Like art, once you start, more and more people want you.  Word gets around.  I find it a struggle to juggle teaching and art creation time.  Fortunately, once you put a class together it's always there.  You don't have to start from scratch every time.  That's a big perk.  I know the same will be true for video classes, but I am concerned about the initial amount of work in putting something like that together.  That's the exact reason I dropped out of going to Denver at the last minute for Craftsy last year.  I need to get over that.

"Come for Tea & Stitch with Me" in Winnipeg was my pilot attempt at teaching a class on basic surface embroidery stitches.  Already I'm getting booked for it three more times in the next month!  That's crazy great!  One is in Winnipeg again, one will be at Creative House in Saskatoon (details coming soon), and one will be a 3 hr module for a 6 day long workshop lead by Elizabeth Babyn.  I met Elizabeth over a year ago at USCAD's Experimental Fibre Art II class.  She went on to do some part time teaching with the University's art & design program.  Now she's offering this through her own art studio.  See Elizabeth Babyn's blog post about the Experimental Textile Workshop HERE.  It's six days long!  WOW.  She's doing it because she feels there's a need for it.  Awesome.  I'll be doing my workshop for her class on the morning of Sunday May 26th.  THIS time I will make sure to bring my camera!  : )

So - I took some time to reflect and ask myself this:  as a teacher, what am I learning?

I answered: Lots.  (Monika - please elaborate)

I am learning:

- Students love to see samples of finished work.

- Students really love to see samples of techniques of work in progress

- Showing things that didn't work & explaining why are equally great ways to learn (learning by MY
mistakes)

- Students appreciate prepared kits so they don't have to go mega shopping for an unspecified project.  I was told this one over and over...  I want coming to my classes to be easy.

- Always make a point of spending a bit of time with the quietest ones who don't ask for anything.  ; )  They often have a lot on their minds and many questions they are shy to ask about.

- I will likely always need to keep a point form schedule of planned things to cover in class or I will forget important things / stray...

- Their creativity is spurred when I supply fabrics and fibres for them so they aren't always staring at their old stash.

- Tips - I am full of them!  I see how the simplest of tips make enjoying the process of creating so much less stressful (like threading or tying off... really basic pointers are really helpful).

- Show & tell is golden.  Because the results in-class projects are not based on patterns, everyone ends up with something different.   I like the students to take a break and look at each other's work - whether completed or in progress.  They learn so much from each other.  This point in the class is often a real creativity booster.  You get a lot of, "OH!  I never thought of that!" and everyone is generally quite impressed. : )  I am right in there with them squealing, "WOW look at that!".  : )

- Students are sometimes nervous to be there too.  I did not know that before.  One woman giggled at my disclosure of being nervous, and said, "You are nervous!?  How do you think we felt coming in to this class?"  I really had not contemplated that.  But yes - I do recall going to a class and being completely terrified of messing up or being put on the spot.  Even going around to introduce yourself is highly intimidating for some.  (I hated that part - but as a teacher, I always do it!  Should I be??  Do you hate this part at the beginning of classes?)

- As a teacher, I'm always learning and thankfully that will never end : )  I am blown away by people's creativity!

- I still consider myself an artist first and foremost, and want to remain that way.  That will keep priority as there is so much more I want to create.  I have ideas pouring out of my ears and some days it drives me mad!

Do you teach?  Are you a sewing-class-aholic?  What's your feedback on your experiences?

...linking up to WIP Wednesday @ TN&TN - since teaching is what I'm workin' on. : )

Come for Tea & Stitch with Me (Winnipeg!)

Winnipeg is coming soon.  There's good news, and there's bad news.  The bad news first?  I'm not there for long, and I am completely booked with public speaking events and running workshops for various groups.  There are still several people I would love to get together with!  So here's my plan.  I'm going to have a little party.  You are invited.

On Sunday May 5th, it's my birthday.  I'll be away from home and family at that time, and that sucks.  So I have decided to make the best of it.  From 11:30 to 1 pm, 4 pm to 6 pm feel free to join me for lunch at the Grant Park Prairie Ink Restaurant in Winnipeg.  (Please note this change of time.) They have a good SUPER looking menu with a host of gluten free options (yes - including sandwiches, pastas, and cake too!)  So - Ellen, Kate, Tara & daughters, Prairie Peasant, and friends, please come by if you are in town and we an visit over a meal.  Doesn't that sound fun?  Unfortunately, my artwork won't be on display until the next day, May 6 to June 2.  You'll have to come back Monday night for the reception if you can.

That's the 'bad news'... not really bad is it!?  The good news is that I am going offer a beginner hand stitching class in the Community Classrooms that same day.  Here's the ad... COME FOR TEA AND STITCH WITH ME

You can also learn more about how to register for any of their classes here at their website.

I look forward to this so much!  It will be like "Saturday Stitches", but in person.  See you then!

p.s. Don't forget your teacup! ; )

Winter / Spring Classes

I thought I would update you an a few classes I'm running locally before I head off to Manitoba in May.  They are:

* Friday February 1
Advanced Postcards Workshop (handwork, machine couching, free motion, bobbin work demo)

some of my personal postcard swap collection - I LOVE EACH ONE!

Friday February 15 (Full)
Basic Threadpainting 101

Class sample in progress, bird photo courtesy of Edith Maracle

* Friday March 1
Basic Threadpainting 101 (specific to Janome owners)

simple free motion embellishment sample

* Friday March 15
Do It Yourself Dresdens (make your own templates to take home, learn precise Dresden construction, understand how to make any template of any size & # of petals)

Sunday March 17 (private)
Creative Quilted Postcards Workshop
Dundurn Quilters Guild

My collection as a result of many, many trades. : )

* Friday April 5
Doodle With Your Sewing Machine (for children during school break.  Basic machine sewing skills required.  Classroom machines available for use.)

Tuesday May 7 (private)
Postcards I & II full day guild workshop
Manitoba Prairie Quilters, Winnipeg

previous class samples / projects

I'm excited to run these as it will help pay for travels & food for that week in May.  I said I wouldn't teach at all this spring.  Oops.

The ones that are marked with an asterix have space available last I hear, and if you like you can reserve a spot online through the Creative House website in Saskatoon.  They have paypal & everything.  They have a LOT of classes & teachers too.  Oh... and thread.  (A little birdie told me that all their rayons are in now!!)  The class fees are very affordable but space is limited. You can read more about them either on the website or on my Workshops tab at the top of the page.

Unfortunatley I am unable to run any evening classes in Saskatoon this spring due to family scheduling.  The classes listed are during the day.

All the best,

Do-it-Yourself Dresdens

I taught a (very small) 3 hr workshop on Dresdens last night at The Studio on 9th.  I love Dresdens!  They are so versatile.  They go WAAAY back but have resurfaced in the past 5 years with the modern quilting movement.  In my class, we made our own custom templates by calculating the angles and lengths to make any size Dresden with the petal count of your choice.  I heart geometry.  Here are some of the results.

this will be stitched onto a table runner - 10" eight petal Dresdens

One woman had pretty floral reproduction fabrics.  One had bold solids.  What a range.

party colors

And yes... she did make a teeny tiny one!  The big ones are 8 petals and 8 inches across.  The little ones are a 12 petal and about 4" across.  She pieced it all on her machine too!!  Awesome.  We didn't even use a calculator.  Easy as pi.  (haha)  Pressing was the hard part I would suspect. 

WOW hey?  Love it.  Thanks Bernie and Bonnie.  Now I'm inspired to whip up some more myself.  I'll be running this class again in the spring (dates to be announced) and would be happy to do a private workshop if anyone wants to gather a group together before Christmas.  I have lots or free time now.  The class is cheap and the hostess gets it for free.  Gotta love that.

Have a great day!

The Children Rock It!

I had the BEST time ever teaching kids on Monday at Creative House.  It was the first time I had taught children how to free motion stitch.  I was nervous.  I mean really...  This could be a disaster.  Needles would smash, machines would get jammed... imagine the chaos!  It's challenging enough helping seasoned adult sewists to learn how to free motion sew. 

Boy was I wrong.  

Boy did I underestimate them.  

Speaking of 'boys' I had three boys signed up for "Doodle with your Sewing Machine".  They were all being pulled from school to come to this Monday morning class that I had expected homeschoolers to snap up.  In the end, one boy couldn't come so his sister took his place.  The kids ranged in age from 9 to 12.

My expectations: It will take an hour or more to talk, show examples, guide them through converting the machines to free motion sewing, and do a demo for them before they can began stitching.

In reality: it took them 5 minutes to learn to convert their machines.  They spent the next hour and a half sewing and sewing and sewing some really cool pictures.  NO ONE BROKE A SINGLE NEEDLE.  No machine jammed.  No one had tension issues.  I did no instruction beforehand about coordinating speed of foot & hands... they just went right to it!  It blew my mind.  I went around and gave them tips as they sewed, adjusted some speed settings, and taught them how to pull up the bobbin thread & snip tails.  They were fearless.  It was awesome.

he jumped right in... endless ideas and no fear

I asked them, "do you know how long it takes for adults to get to this point!?  You took five minutes."  One boy shrugged and replied, "Ah... it's evolution."  Well then.  Maybe the little dude has a point.

whipped through pages - they didn't want to stop sewing : )

I showed them some Youtube videos of  'P. Nosa Sewing', which they loved very much.  He's a free motion doodle artist who tours and has a solar powered sewing machine that is also hooked up to a bicycle for power on cloudy days.  You should google that.

the snowman and his train of thought : )

The biggest difference I saw between adults and children was SO clear.  When the kids had trouble, they would stop and say, "what did I forget to do?" or "what did I do wrong?".  Then they would repair the situation, and restart.  When grownups hit a snag, they tend to throw their hands in the air and say, "something is wrong with this machine!"  : )  I think we could learn a lot from the children.

THANKS KIDS!  YOU ROCKED IT.

Skills.

Skills.  You know... everyone needs "skills". : )  Okay, so I'm quoting Napoleon Dynamite.  He's right though.  I happen to be teaching a skills class on Monday, October 1st at Creative House in Saskatoon just on that topic.  (Skills: free motion quilting skills to be exact).

one of my first attempts at meandering

"Free Motion Quilting Skill Builder" is a workshop where you can learn how to understand and tweak your sewing machine for good quality quilting stitches.  You will learn valuable tips to do free motion quilting well and with confidence.  We'll review tools of the trade, and I have handouts with lots of easy exercises for practicing... because you know, practice does makes better.

All you need to bring is your machine (with free motion foot), some thread, and some sandwiches.  Sandwiches?  Yes, Sandwiches.  That is: several 8x10" precut pieces of backing, batting, and top fabric.  Quilt pins & gloves would be handy too, but not necessary.  They do sell those at the store if you need them that day.

Please bring your sandwiches to class.  : )

It runs for about 3 hrs, starts at 10 am, and it's cheap.  $25 with no kit fee.  There are several spaces left in this class.  Call Wendy at Creative House to sign up (306.652.0455) if you are interested.