Shannon Brinkley Studio Certified Teacher Program
Make a living doing what you love.
Get on the Waitlist for 2023!
Enrollment is currently closed, but we plan to open enrollment again in 2023. There are a limited number of spots, so put your name of the VIP Waitlist. You'll be the first to hear when enrollment reopens so you can grab one of the limited spots and take advantage of earlybird pricing!
Two Certification Options
Choose to become certified in one or both of the following:
Get Certified
Learn the content inside and out.
Learn the common challenges, mistakes, and how to best teach the curriculum. You'll get absolutely everything you need to start and grow your teaching business.
Book Events
Start reaching out to guilds to fill your teaching calendar.
You'll also be featured on our website as a certified teacher and will get referrals from us.
Start Teaching!
Become a teacher!
By the end of the certification program you will be ready to facilitate fun, inspiring, and profitable workshops that your students can't help but tell all their friends about.
Income You
Can Count On
One of my favorite things about this source of income, other than engaging with other amazing quilters, is that you can know and plan for how much money you will make each month.
Since you will have set fees and signed contracts you can budget and plan your income in advance.
Become a Quilt Teacher
Teaching in-person (or virtual) events is the quickest and simplest way to bring in steady income in the quilting industry. With these popular and tested curriculum that are in high demand you shouldn't have any problem filling up your calendar (even during COVID).
At a typical in-person event you could earn:
- $300 for a Lecture/Program
- $500 for a Workshop
- $200 or more in Product Sales
Total: $1,000 or more per event
This is a rough estimate. You can always determine your own rates and your product sales will vary. Some guilds / shops choose to book more or less events, which will adjust how much you'll make.
Teach Virtually!
Not able or comfortable being in public places yet? You don't have to wait until COVID has completely passed-- you can start teaching now! A lot of guilds are eager to book speakers and teachers who can present virtually during this time.
This will allow you to speak/teach at guilds all over the world without having to leave the comfort and safety of your own home and book many more events each month, since you don't have to factor in the time and energy of travel.
What's Included
There is a lot included with your certification! Click on each to see the details.
We'll dive deep into the curriculum so you understand it inside and out. I've taught these workshops countless times and can share all of the common questions, mistakes, and areas of confusion so that you can facilitate a fun, laid-back, and inspiring workshop.
- Pre-Work: Once you sign up you'll get access to the certified teacher training portal where you'll find a full, pre-recorded curriculum that you can dive into right away.
- Teacher Training: Beginning in May, we will be releasing the pre-recorded teacher training curriculum that you can begin to work through at your own pace. We will also begin our Mentor Sessions, where you will meet as a group with a Certified Teacher Mentor to answer any questions you have, practice teaching the material, and get feedback.
*Can't make all the sessions live? No worries, all mentor sessions will be recorded and posted to the site.
- Teachback: You'll have the opportunity as soon as July to finish your training and get certified. Your mentor will observe you teaching all or part of the workshop, provide you feedback, and once ready, you'll receive your contract to sign that will allow you to start teaching!
You'll be certified for 1 year to teach Scrappy Applique, Color Confidence, or both from the time you sign your licensing contract.
We do not take a cut of the events you book, there is simply an annual licensing renewal fee of:
- $497 for Scrappy Applique -or- Color Confidence
- $797 for both
So as long as you book one or two events per year, everything else you make is pure profit!
Guilds are constantly reaching out to me to come teach Scrappy Applique and Color Confidence. Once certified, you will be featured on our website, which is where we send all the guilds who contact us asking about events.
We'll start you off with a box of materials that you can sell at your events.
For Scrappy Applique Certified Teachers:
5 of Each of Shannon Brinkley's Scrappy Applique Patterns (these retail for $16 each, so a total value of $480)
- Wild Animals
- Feathered and Furry
- Science and Fiction
- US Skylines
- World Skylines
- Amaya (zebra)
Plus, for yourself, a copy of Shannon's book, Scrappy Bits Applique.
For Color Confidence Certified Teachers:
- 50 2-sided Color Wheels (one side color, one side neutrals) (I sell these at events for $5 each, with a total value of $250)
We'll start you off with a super helpful kit of resources that includes:
- Your own wholesale link to use to purchase Scrappy Applique Patterns, Books, and other products at 50% off retail to re-sell at your events
- Workbook, training docs and learning content to assist in creating your own events
- Class Guide / Materials lists that you can customize for your own business
- A contract template that you can use to book your events
- Workshop/program scripts that you can refer for your events
- Photos and slideshows you can use when teaching in person or virtual events
- My exact process and email scripts I used to fill up my event calendar
One of our Certified Teachers described our training and materials as a "Business in a Box", which it is! We give you everything you need for your teaching business! All of the content and tools took me YEARS to develop, and we give it all to you!
Included are all the templates you will need to start teaching, which will save you SO much time.
Included:
- Contract Template that you can send guilds or shops when you book an event
- Materials List and Class Guides for your workshops
- Pricing Sheet Template that you'll send to guilds
- Sample script for how to reach out to guilds via email to book you! These are the exact emails I sent when I first got started that filled up my calendar!
- Slideshow for your virtual Program/Trunk Show
Once enrolled, you will be placed with an existing Certified Teacher Mentor. Our mentors have been teaching the content and building their businesses, and will be able to provide lots of advice and guidance as you move through your training and start your business.
You will have regular group sessions with your mentor where you can ask questions, practice teaching, and get feedback, all in a supportive, encouraging environment.
Our CT community is SO supportive and encouraging of each other. We believe a rising tide lifts all boats, and we love cheering each other on and celebrating our successes.
Two Certification Options
Choose to become certified in one or both of the following:
About Scrappy Applique™
Scrappy Appliqué™ is a raw-edge appliqué technique where you collage scrap fabric to create your appliqué piece. It is quick and simple to pick up, yet allows for a lot of creative possibilities.
As a Scrappy Applique Certified Teacher, you will:
- become an expert in Scrappy Applique
- learn all the different finishing options, ranging from quick and simple to more intricate
- learn how to explain, present, and teach Scrappy Appliqué in a concise, easy to understand, and inspiring way
- learn how to facilitate relaxing and fun programs/workshops that help your students have a blast and explore their own creativity
- learn all the most common mistakes (and how to prevent them) and all the common questions (and how to answer them)
- be able to offer Programs/Lectures/Trunk Shows for quilt guilds, shops, retreats, or other events (you'll get my exact script, hand-outs, teaching aids, photos, and slideshows that you can tweak and use however you'd like)
- be able to offer multiple Scrappy Applique Workshops, including:
- a General Scrappy Applique Workshop where everyone chooses a different pattern and you go through the same process together (this is what I teach most often)
- A themed workshop, like Skylines, or Animals, or Maps, where everyone chooses a different skyline or animal or map (there are around 200 different patterns to choose from).
- Workshops can be half day, full day, or 2 day, depending on the level of detail you include, so guilds have options about what they want to pick, and you have options about what you want to offer
- Bonus "Exploring Applique" Workshop: this is included in the Scrappy Applique Certified Teacher Training. You'll learn how to teach this fun workshop where students will explore lots of different applique finishing options, including couching, reverse applique, different machine appliqué stitches, and "faux needle-turn applique".
- become an incredible teacher who can facilitate a relaxing and fun workshop, where students can work at their own pace, and create something that is uniquely their own
Lots of Patterns
Your students can choose from around 200 different Scrappy Applique patterns. You can sell these as printed patterns or share your unique link that will earn you commissions from digital pattern sales.
Scrappy Appliqué is a crowd favorite in any guild or shop, no matter if it's more of a modern, traditional, or art quilt focus.
It is SO much fun to do and even more fun to teach.
Students LOVE Scrappy Applique because:
- it is laid back
- you don't have to be precise-- no rulers required
- there is a lot of room for creativity while still having a structure and steps-- this is very comforting for those nervous to go "outside the box"
- Students can move at their own pace
- It's quick. They can finish (or nearly finish) a quilt top in one class!
- There are so many cute patterns. Since it's so fast, they can make lots of projects easily, so are excited to buy lots of patterns from you
- They walk away from the Scrappy Applique program or workshop relaxed, inspired, and excited.
About Color Confidence for Quilters™
Color Confidence for Quilters™ is a full Color Curriculum that takes quilters from unsure and insecure in their color abilities to being able to confidently mix and match all the fabrics in their stash to create fabric palettes that are beautiful, unique, and perfect for all their individual quilt projects.
The Full Color Curriculum Covers:
- the Art & Science of Color
- The 4 Elements of Color
- Understanding tone
- Working with Neutrals and Undertones
- Print & Pattern Mixing
- and more!
Additional Classes on fun topics like:
- How to define your "Color Style" and get outside your "Color Comfort Zone"
- Simple & Creative Color Formulas to make fabric selection a pleasure and a breeze
- How to use Color to affect the mood of your quilt
As a Color Confidence for Quilters Certified Teacher, you will:
- become a color expert
- learn the complete Color Confidence for Quilters Curriculum
- learn how to explain, present, and teach color theory in a concise, easy to understand, and inspiring way that is uniquely suited for quilters
- learn to speak the language of color, and share it in an easy to remember and non-intimidating way
- learn how to facilitate relaxing and fun programs/workshops that help your students have a blast and put into practice the color concepts you teach
- be able to teach quilters how practically to use their color knowledge to make more beautiful quilts
- help quilters learn to mix and match the fabrics in their stash so they are not reliant on pre-cuts or bundles
- be able to offer Programs/Lectures/Trunk Shows for quilt guilds, shops, retreats, or other events (you'll get my exact script, hand-outs, teaching aids, photos, and slideshows that you can tweak and use however you'd like)
- be able to offer multiple Color Confidence for Quilters Workshops, including:
- All about Hue: Mastering the Color Wheel
- Using Value to Create Impact
- The 4 Elements of Color
- Discovering Your Unique Color Formula
- Get Outside Your "Color Comfort Zone"
- Color Psychology: How to Choose Colors to Evoke Emotions in your Quilts
- Photo Fabric Pulls: Using cherished photographs to inspire your fabric pull
- And more!
- become an incredible teacher who can facilitate a relaxing and fun workshop, where students can explore at their own pace, and walk away with A LOT of knowledge and tools added to their tool belts
A Complete System to Make Your Own
The Color Confidence for Quilters™ Teacher Training is organized into blocks that you can mix and match to build your own programs, workshops, or workshop series.
This allows you to offer many different workshops to the same few guilds. This is HUGE. This means you can create a good relationship with a few guilds and come back over and over, teaching new and exciting content. This will make your job a lot easier. You could:
- Teach at a retreat and offer new classes each day
- Teach a 6 month Color Confidence for Quilters series via Zoom for different guilds, sharing one color program at every guild meeting, or a new workshop each month
- If you already teach, this pairs perfectly with any other quilting workshops, since all quilters can benefit from mastering color
"I got my first signed contract and payment for a Color Confidence class today! Four more booked, and four pending. I'm loving this!"
Lois Mease
Color Confidence Certified Teacher
A Complete "Business in a Box"
One of our Certified Teachers describes our program as a "Business in a Box", which it is! We give you everything you need for your teaching business.
All of the content and tools that took me YEARS to develop and perfect, we give it all to you.
Save Time, Energy, & Money
Eliminate ALL this work, and get right to the fun stuff.
With the Certified Teacher Program, you can Eliminate:
>> The time and energy it takes to come up with a method or technique, make samples, create a workshop and patterns, and start testing them with actual quilters.
>>Then the time to tweak and refine this into a streamlined process and curriculum that works, with all the bumps ironed out. This can take YEARS.
>>Then the time to create name and brand recognition, and "get your name out there"
You can skip all of that.
No need to reinvent the wheel, take our already built and perfected wheel and get rolling!
"Long hours for mediocre pay was robbing me of time with my family, and I felt like I was missing my son's childhood. I wanted the freedom to have a job I loved that aligned with my values and priorities. The Certified Teacher Program allowed me to start a quilt teaching business quickly and easily. If you want Quilt Teaching to be your business, invest in yourself."
Katie Lewis
Scrappy Applique Certified Teacher
Hear from an Existing Certified Teacher
Katie Lewis became certified in Scrappy Appliqué in 2020, then after teaching, decided to enroll in Color Confidence the next year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Right now is actually an incredible time to start your teaching business!
Here's why: because of COVID-19, guilds all over the world have had to cancel all their in person events, HOWEVER, quilters still want to quilt and connect! And guilds are desperate for teachers/speakers who can teach VIRTUALLY!
You can use your certification to teach online via a platform like Zoom.
Included in your certification is a full training on how to facilitate a smooth, stress-free virtual program and/or workshop. We share exactly how to get the event set up, what and how to communicate to the guild, and how to facilitate the event without any technical issues.
You'll also get my slideshows that you can use to present during the program, including photos of quilts and color palettes, which will make presenting much smoother and more professional.
So even if you are not super tech-savvy, you can run a successful virtual program or workshop.
And most quilt teachers have not started to offer their same programs or workshops virtually yet, so there is a HUGE demand for teachers who can do this.
Yes! We understand that everyone has real lives with things to do during the day. All live sessions are recorded.
No problem! You can go through the program at your own pace. You'll have a full year to complete your certification. If by the end of the 12 months you have not completed your certification there will be an option for applying for an extension.
Your 1-year license begins not when you sign up, but when you complete the Certification Program and sign your Licensing Contract. So if you'd like to wait a few months before signing your contract and starting to teach, that is fine!
If we offer the Teacher Certification Training again, it will most likely not be until 2023, and may be a higher price.
To receive your certification and begin teaching you'll need to:
- Complete your Pre-Work
- Watch the Recorded Training (and take the quizzes)
- Create and submit photos of all Workshop Samples
- Be observed teaching by your Mentor; be approved by Mentor
- Paid in full for your Certification
- Sign the Licensing Agreement
Anywhere! You can teach for quilt guilds, shows, shops, wherever you'd like. And during the pandemic, you can also teach virtually so you can reach quilters all around the world!
You'll meet your Certified Teacher Mentor right up front during our kick-off call. After you've completed the training sessions you and other trainees will begin working with your Mentor in group virtual sessions. You'll have the opportunity to practice your teach-backs, listen to others practice their teach-backs, ask questions, and get feedback. Your Mentor will help guide you through everything you'll need to do to become fully certified.
For both Scrappy Applique and the Color Confidence, you'll be able to offer a Program/Lecture as well as a variety of workshops! I'll show you how to teach the curriculum in a half-day, full-day, or 2-day workshop, so you can book multiple events for each guild/shop!
You'll have a full year to complete your certification. You can be certified in as little as a few months. Month 1 is training. Months 2 and 3 your Mentor will provide Teach-back sessions once a week. Months 4 through 6 your Mentor will provide Teach-back sessions every other week. For the remaining 6 months Teach-back sessions will be once a month. We feel that this will give you ample time to get certified at your own pace. If by the end of the 12 months you have not completed your certification there will be an option for applying for an extension.
We begin the training in April, but you get access to the learning material right away, so you can begin working through it and making class samples.
Have Questions?
If you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to reach out to us directly: [email protected]