Tis is Long--I've been teaching the beginning class at our local quilt shop for 20 years. The quilt I teach is the 5th one on my profile.
Assume they know nothing about how to cut and how to measure with the rulers. Even the self-taught can learn how to do that better.
Concentrate on just a few skills--after years of teaching samplers with all the things you mentioned as well as Lemoyne stars, I've learned that doing a few things well is most satisfying for the new student--success leads to more success. My class features half-square and quarter-square triangles, using oversized cuts to start, them trimming them down to the accurate size as they learn to sew an accurate 1/4" seam--by far the most difficult thing a beginner learns--they really struggle to get that.
My class is 5 weeks long, often with a week off between class 4 and 5. In the first class we shop for fabric and tools after I explain what the tools are that I recommend and why that brand/kind. I also explain in depth using a focus or theme fabric to help them select the rest of the fabrics. That week their homework is to master the 1/4" seam as much as possible by making a 4" rail fence block (using 4 rectangles 1.5" x 4.5") that they will sign and give to me--I show them a top I am making with those squares. It is amazing how much better those squares got when I started showing the students their names would be on the front of a quilt!
Class 2 is half-square and quarter-square triangles and they complete their first block in class. Class 3 I show them how to strip piece a 4-patch, make the diamond in a square block, and I teach the Birds in the Air block--they can choose to make these units to add interest to their remaining blocks or continue with only half and quarter square triangles. I also explain options for the pieced border if they prefer not to do all those pieced blocks. Most do them and love their quilt all the more for the effort it took.
Class 4 is lecture/demo on creating the top from their 12 blocks: sashing, borders, basting, etc.
Class 5 is demo and instruction on hand and machine quilting--the basics. Now almost no one wants to hand quilt this quilt--they do it by machine or send it to a longarmer. That's sad in some ways but most of them can't wait to start their next quilt, so that is good. Many come to hand quilting after they perfect their piecing skills.
Sorry if this is more info than you wanted. I am passionate about teaching beginners--I tell each class it is my goal to addict at least one of them completely to quilting!
Barbara
