3 Classes and One Crazy Teacher...

Teaching was something I have been interested in since I was young.  I'd play school with my sister, make handouts, had a chalkboard and all these things.  About 4 years ago i looked into getting the degree i'd need to teach high school English (one of my favorites) and that didn't work out.  About a month ago i started getting the 'itch' to teach again and wondered what I could teach and what I would teach if given the chance to.  I started talking to Allan and my best friend about the opportunity and dediced that Crazy Quilting would be a fun thing to teach because you don't hear of it much (or at least around here.)  I had been wondering if I could get a position teaching through the way i had learned to sew.  Every Spring and Fall our township offers Continuing Education Classes for adults.  A variety of things from Italian Cooking to sewing to baking to knitting to dancing and more.  I had the catalog and while I was on the phone with my best friend talking to her about the opportunity and how nervous I was, I looked in the back of the catalogue and sure enough it said: Instructors Wanted.  Hmmm.... I'd surely call tomorrow and find out the details.  So I called and the women i spoke with had mentioned how exciting it was because they had been looking for a quilting teacher since the last one had gotten ill.  I advised this wasn't just basic quilt piecing and they still, were excited.  I applied and soon after got the e-mail asking for my 'blurb' for the catalog!  So, come Spring I will be teaching a Tuesday night class and a Thursday night class on CQing!  The class will run for 8 weeks and the Tuesday and Thursday night classes will be different groups.

Not too long after, I headed up to Burlington to my favorite local quilt shop: Olde City Quilts.  I rent a long arm there and I just love the shop, love the staff and the owner, Judy, is such a warm, sweet person to be around.   Rae, one of the women who work there, had complimented my bracelet which i had made that morning before I headed over.  She had told Judy to come back and check it out too.  

In talking to Rae and Judy I had mentioned that I am a needle tatter.  Showed some of my work and Judy had said "You should teach a class!"  I also mentioned my CQing and she said the same thing!  I e-mailed her some photos of my work and last week i brought some CQ work in to show her.  She said "I'd love to put you on the calendar for January, maybe you could teach a Valentine's Day theme class for this?"  I happily agreed.  She asked if I could make a store sample and that is what i am working on now.  These are 2 naked hearts that I will start filling in with red, white and pink embellishments and stitches.  They will be the class samples.

I am nervous but with the help of my dear friend Kathy who has been amazing and so helpful she is helping me with my class outline, handouts and things like that.  Actually, she asked me for a class outline and a list of supplies needed and she just took off with it, creating all of the paperwork i will need.  I am sure that you could only imagine what having a friend like that feels like!  Having her as a friend is a major blessings in my life.  Her enthusiasm and encouragement are constant, she makes me feel like this is something I could really do, really succeed at.  Kathy is a woman whose kindness, helpfulness and encouragement know no bounds, and for that, I am grateful.  I ♥ you Kathy!