Hi Sue,

Over the years I’ve noticed something interesting.

Whenever the idea of teaching quilting comes up, a lot of people immediately say something like:

“Oh I could never do that.”

And almost every time, it’s because they’re believing one of a few very common myths.

So today I thought I’d share a few of the ones I hear most often.

Myth #1: You have to be the most experienced quilter in the room

This one comes up all the time.

But the truth is, many workshops include quilters with decades of experience.

In almost every room I taught in, there were quilters who'd been quilting longer than I'd been alive! 

And you know what? Nobody cared!

If they walked away having had a fun day, and better yet, added one or two new tricks to their toolbelts, they were happy campers!

You don’t have to know everything about quilting. You just need to guide people through one thing you understand well.

Myth #2: You need a big following (or to have written a book)

Many teachers imagine that workshop instructors are famous designers or authors with huge audiences.

In reality, most guild teachers are simply quilters who developed or learned a workshop and started sharing it.

Guilds, shops, and retreats are always looking for new programs — especially ones that bring fresh ideas! (One of our Certified Teachers recently shared about all the guilds they've spoken to lately who were desperate for programing!)

Myth #3: You need teaching experience

Most teachers don’t start with teaching experience. They start with enthusiasm.

A workshop is usually much more relaxed than people imagine.

It’s often a room full of quilters chatting, experimenting with fabric, and asking questions as they go.

Your role is simply to guide the experience. Details about facilitation can be learned (that's what we train our Certified Teachers to do!)

Myth #4: You have to be outgoing

Some of the best teachers I know are actually fairly quiet people. I myself am an introvert and need lots of down time to recharge.

Workshops are less about performing and more about helping people one-on-one as they work.

If you enjoy encouraging others and sharing ideas, you already have the most important skill.

Myth #5: You have to travel all the time

Since COVID, many guilds have learned how to offer programs and workshops via Zoom, and still enjoy offering this since they can save money on the teacher's travel expenses. Many of our Certified Teachers teach only on Zoom or have a hybrid in person/zoom teaching schedule. 

You get to decide what works best for your lifestyle and preference.

If you’re curious what quilt workshop teaching actually looks like behind the scenes, I put together a short guide explaining it.

Inside you'll see:

• what quilt workshop teachers actually do
• what a teaching day looks like
• how workshops work behind the scenes

You can download it here:

Happy quilting,

Shannon

P.S. If you read the guide and think “That actually sounds like fun,” you can also join the Certified Teacher waitlist here. Enrollment opens once each year and waitlist members hear first.

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