I have been a big advocate of taking classes in whatever it is you want to learn my whole adult life. I know they can feel expensive but yarn, fabric, fiber all gets used up. The money you invest in knowledge never goes away.
When I learned to spin almost a million years ago I took classes regularly from one local teacher for at least 18 months. We got to the point where I felt like she couldn’t answer the questions I had which were becoming more and more technical so I began looking for new teachers. Not long after that I bought the spinning shop and in order to continue my spinning education I began hiring teachers to come and teach so that I could learn new things or develop skills further. It was awesome.
At the same time I was teaching classes. I started with beginning spinning classes and continued adding more and more classes to my list of available classes until it became 18 pages long including descriptions. But I still was learning, hiring teachers, sneaking into classrooms of other teachers between classes and asking a lot of questions.
All of this knowledge is still with me even though the fiber I bought during those years might be gone.
Now I’ve swung back to sewing and I am joyful about it. I love it. I have gigantic plans for things to make and things to learn. Stuff I was afraid of before doesn’t seem scary now but I need some teachers.
My mom is always my first choice of who to go to. She has been sewing a huge range of things since before I was born and has a lot of tricks up her sleeve. She also loves hand sewing just like I do.
The easiest place to go next for help is Youtube videos. I rely on them for a quick tip. But I still love an in person class. A teacher in person can see how you might change your hand position by one centimeter and it makes a big difference. They might be able to see that the thread you are using isn;t the best choice or that, even though you think you are messing something up, you just need to change your drive band or brake band or sewing machine needle. Tiny little things you won’t get from an online class.
I have several people from whom, and places where, I want to take sewing classes. I’m going to tell you mine and then I want you to tell me yours so I can add them to my list too because I know there are a lot of great teachers out there and I just don’t know them yet.
Kenneth D King – I would love to take a fitting class from him.
Gretchen Hirsch – I’m actually going to take a class with her in September
Susan Khalje Couture Sewing School – 6 full days!!!
Kathy McMakin – A teacher of heirloom sewing techniques particularly using a sewing machine for French sewing techniques.
Laura Volpintesta – Pattern Making, Drawing and Design
And there’s a Sewing Expo that comes to Novi Michigan each November that I’m going to try to get to this year.
So there. Now you tell me yours.
