The Clearview of Quilting Teacher Certification Classes

It’s Simply Amazing & Amazingly Simple

by Anita Hartinger

You’ve been asking for details about this Teacher Certification Program and here it is!

Both Marci Baker and Sara Nephew teach ‘The Clearview of Quilting’ teacher certification classes.

Marci, the designer and author of Not Your Grandmother’s™ quilt books, has launched ‘The Clearview of Quilting’ class series and exclaimed, “The designs are simply amazing and the defined methods to make the quilts are amazingly simple. To share this information, we’ve put together a teacher certification program where we share our 40 years of combined teaching and quilting experience. The teacher comes away with all the materials necessary to offer classes in these intriguing designs to their students. We also cover information about handling challenging students, working with guilds, shop owners, shows, and other teaching venues. Teachers will have nine classes ready to teach, with samples already begun.”

Marci noted that the participants from last year’s class were delighted in the quality of the Teacher Certification Program. She also said the motivation for teaching is simple. “It’s sharing the love of quilting,” she said. “Here’s my passion. I’ve figured out easier ways to quilt that guarantee successful results. I was looking for an easier way because I was frustrated when I didn’t get the results I wanted when I thought I was doing all the right things.”

Marci’s passion is to reach people who are interested in quilting but haven’t tried. She added, “It’s really exciting to teach someone who hasn’t even thought they are capable of quilting because it allows them to develop their creativity without years of practice and patience.”

Marci is the owner of Alicia’s Attic and inventor of the Qtools™ and is known for her fast piecing methods of classic tumbling blocks, grandmother’s flower garden, and six-pointed star designs using her non-traditional methods. Most of Marci’s methods are cutting either the same amount or fewer pieces and sewn without inset seams. By eliminating inset seams and using this simplified method, every quilter will be successful.

Sara Nephew is the founder of the company Clearview Triangle™ and is known for her 60 degree designs with 3-D effects, flowers, stars, and more. Sara takes a new and different direction in design and creates amazing designs. Sara sold her company and the entire product line to Marci in August 2006 and that began their collaboration.

‘The Clearview of Quilting’ Teacher Certification Program is a three-day session, which covers all of Marci and Sara’s books and quilting tools. The teachers learn basic concepts along with the pitfalls their students may encounter. Marci and Sara’s perfected quilting techniques are written down and given out as handouts. The quilting techniques can be applied to any quilting pattern.

Each class includes:

• teacher outlines
• detailed instructions
• supply lists
• class handouts that the teachers can make copies for their students
• creating sample pieces and step outs
• product information and description sheets highlighting benefits and use of each item
• applying the Qtools™ and Know Before You Sew™ reference cards to every class
• learning common problems quilters encounter, how to anticipate them, and the techniques to correct them
• learning guidelines on teaching and working with shops, guilds, other groups, and individuals
• learning something new in every class
• eligibility for the discount program to purchase products from Alicia’s Attic
• a set of books and tools from Alicia’s Attic’s product line with the retail value of over $300 includes:

Not Your Grandmother’s™ book series, Qtools™, Clearview Triangle™ books and rulers, and Know Before You Sew™ reference card series.

But what is ‘The Clearview of Quilting’?

Marci explained, “Many of us have learned quilting through the years on our own or from the experience of others. Getting successful results on a consistent basis requires a passion. For some, the passion flickers out because the trial and error method of learning results in frustration with a higher possibility of giving up quilting altogether. My passion is to teach easier quilting methods that I developed using my engineering experience to solve quilting problems.”

‘The Clearview of Quilting’ is frustration-free quilting with guaranteed success using concepts that give a clear view into common problems with simple solutions. ‘The Clearview of Quilting’ gives the quilter the confidence to create even more spectacular quilts with more time for creativity and less time ripping out seams, dealing with pieces that don’t fit together, and corners that are anything but mitered.

“In ‘The Clearview of Quilting’, we teach methods that solve common quilting problems,” said Marci. “The one that amazes me the most is rotary cutting. Being able to have a controlled cut with double folded fabric and know before I cut that the strips will be straight, unless you want rick-rack and then we can teach that, too. The ‘Clearview of Quilting’ rotary cutting takes away all the guesswork with proven success.”

Another frustration is how to work with the dog ears when sewing triangles. Marci learned from Joen Wolfrom that you can join two strips at any angle easily by sewing from key point to key point. By doing this, the two strips of fabric are joined in a straight line as desired.

“When you add sewing the perfect quarter inch seam allowance to this approach, you understand the purpose of ears and why they affect the outcome. Quilters will be able to quickly and easily understand how to sew pieces that have ears,” Marci stated. “Apply this concept to 60 degree triangles and you can add a whole new dimension. Quilters won’t shy away from these designs because they’ll find them just as easy as Nine Patches and Half Square Triangles. Think of the possibilities!”

Sara and Marci’s collaboration extends to publishing Sara’s next new book Not Your Grandmother’s™ Log Cabin. In the new book, Sara has created 36 stunning designs with a wide variety of appeal. Marci has simplified the instructions to make any quilter successful in all the designs in the book. Look for the new Not Your Grandmother’s™ Log Cabin book that is available in May 2008.

The Teacher Certification Class is offered at $499 per person. It includes lunch for three days and graduation dinner. Transportation, lodging, and additional meals are the participants’ responsibility.

Bonnie from Cleveland, TX, who took the Teacher Certification Class last year, expressed, “I received more information than I did in both of my previous certifications. Thank you.”

In 2008 Marci has a full teaching schedule at trade shows, shop demos, guilds and certification classes. If you’re interested in more information about teacher certification, call her at 1-888-348-6653. To learn more about the products, ask your favorite distributor. Space is limited, so sign up now! The next classes will be held on:

--June 4-6, 2008 in Canada

--November 5-7, 2008 in Southern California

Sign up today to have your students successfully quilting “simply amazing yet amazingly simple.” With over 40 years of experience Marci and Sara will share their simple techniques and designs and will provide tools that will make quilting enjoyable and frustration free!

Reprinted from SQE Professional, March 2008