Teaching Patchwork and Quilting for the first time!

I started teaching sewing and patchwork o the local ladies in the Irish Country Women's Association in our community hall. the last 4 weeks I've been so delighted packing up my things and driving up to the hall. It was a little out of my comfort zone to be honest being asked to teach because I learned all my skills from Youtube and online courses and I suppose I still rate myself as a baby quilter. Sharing what I have learned to real people in the flesh was just magic and I cant express how grateful I am to have been asked to teach what I love. We had tea, cake and chats and I have made some great friends.

The ladies brought their own machines, the range of machines was just brilliant, from old fashioned singers with attached motors bought in the 50's, Brother machines that had only mended farm overalls t

o modern middle aisle machines bought on a whim and never used. All worked fine, we had to troubleshoot a few issues but to everyone's delight everyone made an item or two or three.

The theme was using what you have so there was sheets, pillowcases, repurposed clothes and all were turned into beautiful patchwork pieces. Some ladies had fat quarters which they shared and one lady who had been co-ordinating some pandemic related projects, making scrubs and masks had leftover scraps which made lovely patchwork pieces. One woman was particularly determined and made a whole quilt for her granddaughter in Australia, sent from Ireland with so much love.

One of my favourite items made during my time with the women was an improv pattern of half square triangles, this particular lady missed the squares lesson and so went straight into making half square triangle, this rectangular piece of patchwork was later turned into a pillow cover. Her freedom from point matching and definite pattern was just inspiring. this was in complete contrast to the perfection of some ladies, but as a teacher for 10 years I know people learn differently and strive for different outcomes and this proves that whichever camp you are in, perfection or imperfection the most important goal is the creation, the overcoming and the pure joy of achieving something.

One woman said the although she had attended meeting and gatherings with the women she got to know them more during the 4 weeks due to the connection of learning and overcoming sewing obstacles, showing what they had done for homework and laughing about the mistakes. It is what community is all about, coming together building friendships and I will forever be grateful to my first students building my confidence to teach sewing and patchwork and trusting me to teach them.

As a gift I made little mug rugs for each wonderful woman. It wasn't a free gift they had work for it, they had to make, attach and sew on the binding but once that was done they had their gift.

I used a pretty little pattern from Moda for the mug rug click the link below to get the free pattern.

Free Mug Rug Christmas Pattern