I was living in River Falls, Wisconsin at the time, and I ended up going back home to New Richmond to take the class at a shop that no longer exists. If I remember correctly, it was a four week class that introduced basics like 9-patches and triangles, but also included some other, more advanced skills (see the aforementioned applique and mitered borders). It was not–if I may be so bold– a good experience. Way too much jammed into a short time period, and the instructor was…not great.

The last night of the course, before I left, I was talking with the women who owned the shop. I knew them a bit even before I took the class (thanks to growing up in a small town), so I could tell they were looking for some feedback. When one of the asked me how it went, I responded, “Do you want me to be nice, or do you want me to be honest?” They asked for honesty, so I, tactfully, gave it to them. As we wrapped up the conversation that night, they asked me if *I* wanted to teach beginning quilting at their store! I was shocked…and thrilled!

Thus began my brief tenure as a quilting instructor. I taught at their store for a few years while I was living in River Falls. In addition to teaching the four-week beginners class, I also taught a one-day intergenerational class (think moms/kids or grandmas/grandkids). There may have been another couple one-off courses? Maybe paper-pieced stars? Maybe an Irish Chain? I truly loved teaching people how to quilt.

Kind of a cool “full-circle” moment was visiting a newer quilt shop in New Richmond a year or so ago, and the woman who cut my fabric and rang up the sale told me that she took my beginners class all those years ago and has been quilting ever since! I couldn’t even get my mind around that. It was amazing!

Anyway, in the photo below, check out that acorn/oak leaf fabric. That was from the not-so-great beginners class that I took (I partnered it with a light tan and a dusty purple). Per the requirements of the class, I tried to applique an acorn in the middle of that wall hanging sized mess of a project. I can’t remember if I ever managed to miter the borders. Neither of those techniques ever stuck. To this day, I don’t ever use either of them.

As I continue to work on the auction quilts, I’ll have to keep my eye open for fabrics from the quilt I designed for the beginners class I taught. I think I’ve seen at least the primary fabric, but I’ve yet to grab a photo. I have no idea what ever happened to that demo quilt? I looked for it when I dug out the first quilt I ever made…but they weren’t stored together. Who knows where it could be?

Anyway, cheers to the disaster of a beginners class that gave me my teaching opportunity…I hope to get to do it again some day!