MQX classes

[quiltingtina]

Hi all!

I am going to MQX in April. This is my first time. I am looking at which classes to register for, and I need some help.

I am still relatively a newbie. I've been at this a little over a year now. How many classes should I take? One a day, two a day? I just don't want to get brain overload by taking too many, and I do want to have time to enjoy the show too.

I'm so excited to be going!

[ramona-quilter]

Hi Tina,

I have been to 2 shows so far, so not an expert. I can only tell you about the mistakes I\'ve made so maybe you can benefit from that. I have to fly to a show and spend $ for a hotel so I try to cram as many classes in as I can in the 2 or 3 days I will be at the show. I signed up for 7 classes in 2 days at Innovations last year and was drained by class 5. I did the same thing with 9 classes at MQS. Some folks just don\'t learn from their mistakes. Here are some tips:

--Pace yourself. You may want a break between classes to help digest what you just learned or to reinforce your notes before the material from your next class buries the content from the first class. It all blurs together otherwise.

--Read the class description carefully before you sign-up to ensure it fits your needs and experience level. I got into a backgrounds and borders class at MQS where the instructor pretty much focused on the 6 (out of 30) students who had Statler Stitchers. It was not an SS class.

--Keep your brain working by choosing a variety of classes; some on techniques, add some motif classes and don\'t forget some backgrounds and border classes.

--Be sure to take your digital camera to class and ask if it is OK to photograph class examples after class. A photo always helps me remember a technique or idea.

Preparation is a big part of learning. Make sure that you have a sweater in case the climate in your classroom makes you so uncomfortable that you cannot think. Wear comfortable shoes, you will be walking alot just seeing the vendor mall and all the quilts. Bring a notebook big enough to make drawings and lots of pens/sharpened pencils. Sit close enough to be able to see and hear what the instructor has to offer. Some are miked but machine noise and distance can cause you to miss something if you are sitting in the back.

Make friends and share ideas with others. Even lunch can be a learning experience. Show and tell is great at lunch to see what new toys (tools) other quilters have purchased.

I love shows. Have a great time.

[barbm]

Linda\'s suggestions for classes are great, but don\'t forget to take at least one business class, if you\'re planning on doing this as a business. Most of the teachers have wonderful ideas for how to get your business going with the least amount of stress.

And take a BIG shoulder bag along, to carry your notes, camera, sweater, etc., AND all the goodies you pick up in the Vendor Mall.

When I was at HMQS last April, I kept a running note of the various tools/supplies I wanted to pick up (or at least look at) in the Vendor Mall, based on what the instructors were advising. That way I could make a trip to the Mall more efficiently.

[DB]

Hi Tina, I\'m going to MQX as well, maybe we\'ll run into each other. I signed up a few weeks ago and some classes were already full so you\'ll want to hurry. The hotels are filling up as well. DB

[quiltingtina]

Hi DB. Well, I am lucky to have family in NH, (in Concord) to stay with, so the accomodations are easy for me. My biggest obstacle is that my two little ones are coming with me, so my mom is coming too, so she can watch them for me. My boys could wear out the energizer bunny, so I need to schedule the classes so that I don\'t overwhelm her. My mom is so happy to have all three of her grankids together. We are staying through to visit with other family and vacation a bit.

Hope to run into you! Where in MA are you located?

[MarthaProvencher]

Hi Tina,

This is going to be my third MQX. I love that show. I have family in the area, too, to stay with.

I\'ve really studied the catelog and love something they did this year. They scheduled classes 8-9, 10-12, 1-3, 4-6, so there\'s time between classes. In the past I think classes were back to back. If you were let out late or had trouble getting to the next class, it was stressful or you could schedule yourself with no shopping time. This schedule is going to be great.

Last year I think I did 10 two-hour classes. My head was swimming, but I had great notes and great pictures and am still going over those notes and learning. You may not learn everything on the first pass, but even the exposure is a good thing so the second time you see or hear it, you can pick it up. But you have to decide for yourself what that overload point is.

By the way, the show managers were great about adding or changing classes. Changing I think involved a fee, but adding was easy---if the class wasn\'t full---.

Good luck! Maybe I\'ll see you there.

[DB]

I\'m in Mansfield, Ma. near the R.I. border. If you\'re driving you\'ll be passing my exit on I95. I think someone else on here is from our sister city in Mansfield, Ohio. Let me know what classes you end up taking, maybe we\'ll end up in one together. DB

[Antoinette]

DB

I\'m in Attleboro. Maybe we could get together sometime to play. I can\'t be very far from you. I haven\'t signed up for any classes yet and if I don\'t hurry I know there will be no room left at the inn. But if I have to I can drive back and forth.

[DB]

Hi Antoinette, Wow, someone on this site that is actually within 500 miles of me! We probably hit the same shops. I have quilting for a group of women one evening a month and one morning a month at my house. Let me know if you\'re interested in joining us sometime. The next morning get together is Dec 14th, 10am to 2pm. DB

[Bonnie]

DB...Heidi and I are also within 500 miles of you...She lives north of Albany and I live just south of Albany, NY.....and there are a whole bunch of us here in New England.... so you now can\'t feel like you are all by yourself. I realize it was a typo....you meant 50 miles.

[Quilting Heidi]

Tina,

I went to MQX for the first time last year. Be careful I went with the intension of just looking to see what machines were available and got hooked on the Millinium! I didn\'t buy it there but APQS held a seminar very close to me 3 months later and I bit! LOL I don\'t regret it though.

For me the classes were the hardest thing to decide on. I didn\'t register until I got there and I went with a friend that had been going for 3 or 4 years. She was a great help! When we looked over the class descriptions of what was still open I was careful to read the description. I concentrated on classes that I knew were in areas of quilting style that I would do. I will say give yourself at least 2 or 3 hours in between classes. There is a lot of information in each class and I think it is good to take a while to digest before you go into the next class. I went to one class an hour after the first and didn\'t enjoy the 2nd class mainly because my brain was tired and I know I just couldn\'t concentrate any longer on new things! Also the two teachers did their feathers differently so what one said to do the other said don\'t do. If I had had time in between then I think it would have been easier.

I have had classes with Kim Brunner, Nichole Webb, Deloa Jones, Sue Patten, Jodi Robinson and have dvd of Jaime Wallen (met him at camp, great guy but I couldn\'t fit his class in). All of these instructors were wonderful and freely shared ideas. If you are a newbie I would take classes that discuss tension and thread, Deloas Flowers and leaves is excellent and Jodi\'s classes really teach you how to section things off so the quilt isn\'t so overwhelming.

Good luck! I\'m planning on going but don\'t know what days I\'ll go yet. It is about 3 hours from where I live but I will stay over for at least a night, maybe 2. I just have to figure out when I can get off work!

The quilts are just beautiful. Oh and just FYI if you can leave mom and the kids at home I would. There are so many people and it is really hard to get around and of course there are tons of things that little ones would love to touch and get in to. I think you and your mom would enjoy it better if they didn\'t try to stay busy while you were in class for a couple of hours. Just my opinion.

Heidi

[Quilting Heidi]

DB - yes Bonnie is right. LOL when I read you email I read it as Mansfield, OH...that was where Deloa\'s camp is! Worth the trip for sure!

I live about 10 miles from Albany just off the Northway 87! 90 is about 10 miles from here.

Heidi

[Bonnie]

I just released my king size single room....in case anyone is looking for a room at the Raddision.

[DB]

Hi Bonnie, No typo I had meant 500 miles. When I read through this chat I sometimes think that most people are either way out west or down south. I know the Albany area fairly well. I went to school out in Cobleskill, just a little west of you and I think Heidi. There\'s a yearly quilt show in Lee, Ma. Just this side of the N.Y., Ma. border. I have been tempted to enter a couple of my quilts in it. Do either of you two go to it? Heidi, thanks for reminding me that it was Deloa\'s camp. I knew I had seen the town listed on here somewhere. DB

[Guest Linda S]

This will be my fourth year at MQX. I absolutely love this show and all the classes are wonderful. I arrive on Sunday evening and will be there all week. I\'m helping with the garment judging on Tuesday, so get your garments into the show! The classes are all tempting, but be sure to leave yourself time to see all the quilts and to shop! I\'ll be looking for all of you at the show.

Linda

[Quilting Heidi]

DB your right Cobleskill isn\'t too far away, about 30 minutes maybe. Lee is about an hour from me. I haven\'t been to that show but be sure to remind us when it is so I can go! If your in this area give a yell. Don\'t come tomorrow or Monday though we\'re in for our first snow and as of last night they said 6 - 12". I probably won\'t get a snow day out of it on Monday since our institute has only ever closed early once in the 5 years I\'ve been there. I will work at home though in the am because I\'m not sitting in traffic for 2 hours. They do a really good job clearing the roads around here but Troy is a nightmare and drivers are horrible!

Heidi

[Bonnie]

Already for the snow here as well....snow blower gassed and ready to go...ditches mowed so the blowing snow won\'t build up and drift to bad....and have lots of grocery stuffs so if we get a snow day on Monday I don\'t need to run anywhere. After living in Nevada for 20 years I got out of the practice of driving on snow....But thank God they take care of the roads down here as well. Lots of salt and sand.

[HoosierQuilts]

Hi Tina, Kathy and I been to MQX and MQS several times and enjoy all of them very much. You will like it and the shows are all overwhelming.

Try to plan your first day for shopping, the better products, like pattens and gadgets sell out fast and if you try to go back a few days later, you will not find them any more.

If you are planning to do pantograph quilting, I recommend my " ABC\'s of Pantograph\'s" class. I cover a little of everything from tools to loading the quilts and the actual quilting.

I teach perfect spacing between rows by using a small calculator and measuring tape ( both provided) by using the back side of the tape. It\'s so simple that anyone can do it !

Many quilters are afraid of the math and just start the rows on the bottom and end wherever the quilt top ends. That is OK too but we like it better evenly spaced and centered. I also pass along many tricks and short cuts to save you time and costly mistakes.

For more description, you can check the MQX and MQS catalogs and web sites.

Last year was the first time for my classes at MQX and I am happy to say that there was enough demand that they were sold out early!

We hope to see you there

Jurgen

[Calicoquilter]

I am also going to MQX for the first time. My husband and I are both going to take classes, some together and some separately. I am very excited. We are going to drive from Wisconsin to NH. We do already have a room booked and we received confirmation on all of our classes. I hope to see some of you there.

Colleen

[AnuGram]

Tina:

All the above info is great. I would only add that I took hands on classes my first two years at MQX and did not find them to be a good return on investment. It\'s hard as a newbie learning your own machine much less trying to work on a completely different model. So I would suggest you stick with the demo classes, as you will learn lots more and then be able to go home and practice everything on your machine.

I\'ve also tried to take classes from lots of different teachers, so I can get different perspectives. Teachers to consider: Linda Taylor (she is just inspiring!) also Pam Clarke and Dawn Cavanaugh are great and have classes geared for newbies. I think the classes are labeled for level -- or am I thinking of MQS? (I\'m a lucky dog and get to go to both next year!!)

Good luck and leave a night free to play with your APQS chatt friends!

Sara

[Kathleen]

I went to MQS in Kansas last May and loved every minute of it. I wanted to learn to make beautiful feathers, so I took three hands on classes, two with Dawn Cavanaugh and it was absolutely worth every penny spent. She has a way of teaching the unteachable that\'d be me... and I left there and went home and mastered all of her feathers!!! I kid you not. I can now offer customers just about every facet of custom quilting and I am shooting for heirloom quality. The third hands on class was a major disappointment, not the content of the class, but the instructor. The other lectures were a waste of my time & money (that again could be the instructor with this particular session). That said, I still would highly recommend the hands on classes over the lectures personally, cause that is the best way that I learn. And I guess that is what it is ~ a personal preference.