{"id":67546,"date":"2025-09-16T06:55:18","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T13:55:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/?p=67546"},"modified":"2025-09-16T11:07:33","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T18:07:33","slug":"why-take-a-sampler-class","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/why-take-a-sampler-class\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Take a Sampler Class"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_46413\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-46413\" style=\"width: 292px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/20190616_115335-sm.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-46413\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/20190616_115335-sm-292x300.jpg\" alt=\"Aqua-Red Sampler with prize\" width=\"292\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/20190616_115335-sm-292x300.jpg 292w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/20190616_115335-sm-768x789.jpg 768w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/20190616_115335-sm.jpg 780w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 292px) 85vw, 292px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-46413\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Aqua-Red Sampler with prize<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<p>We all get excited about quiltmaking and want instant success. A lot of the current patterns are set up for that. I wholeheartedly agree that making a quilt or two out of the gate can set someone up as a life long quiltmaker.&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>Limiting yourself to patterns only limits your own creativity.&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_7843\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7843\" style=\"width: 201px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/sampler.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-7843\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/sampler-201x300.jpg\" alt=\"Sampler\" width=\"201\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/sampler-201x300.jpg 201w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/sampler-688x1024.jpg 688w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/sampler.jpg 818w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 201px) 85vw, 201px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7843\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sampler<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<p>At some point, however, we want to go beyond making patterns. This is when making a sampler quilt or taking a sampler quilt class can add to your skills in a positive way.<\/p>\r\n<p>A sampler is a quilt made from different blocks. The blocks can be anything, but in a good class each block represents a different skill. As you work through each block you add new skills to your quiltmaking toolbox. Once you have learned the <a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/aq-projects-tutorials\/aq-tutorials\/quilt-class\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">basics<\/a>, you have the skills to make your own designs, make quilts you see or make changes to patterns with confidence.<\/p>\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_67255\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-67255\" style=\"width: 225px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/20250720_141316_wm-sm.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-67255\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/20250720_141316_wm-sm-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"Handbag Sampler - all the blocks\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/20250720_141316_wm-sm-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/20250720_141316_wm-sm-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/20250720_141316_wm-sm.jpg 802w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 85vw, 225px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-67255\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Handbag Sampler &#8211; all the blocks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<p>Even if you have been making quilts for awhile a sampler class can help you learn about block grids, resizing blocks and choosing better methods of construction. You also get a sense of when to press open and when to press to the side.<\/p>\r\n<p>Making a sampler is also fun. You don&#8217;t get stuck making the same units over and over. Each block or section has something new. You can place fabrics in different places and get a break from chain piecing the same units.<\/p>\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_24109\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24109\" style=\"width: 285px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/PICT5103sm.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-24109\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/PICT5103sm-285x300.jpg\" alt=\"Finished: Star Sampler\" width=\"285\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/PICT5103sm-285x300.jpg 285w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/PICT5103sm.jpg 951w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 285px) 85vw, 285px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-24109\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Finished: Star Sampler<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<p>Samplers can have themes as well. Star Samplers, like the one I made, are very popular.&nbsp; Samplers with curved blocks or using a certain <a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/2021\/07\/rock-star-test\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">specialty ruler<\/a> can also be great learning experiences.<\/p>\r\n<p>Look into a sampler class as your next workshop. You can also <a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/about\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact me<\/a> about teaching in person (locally) or via Zoom.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We all get excited about quiltmaking and want instant success. A lot of the current patterns are set up for that. I wholeheartedly agree that making a quilt or two out of the gate can set someone up as a life long quiltmaker.&nbsp; Limiting yourself to patterns only limits your own creativity.&nbsp; &nbsp; At some &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/why-take-a-sampler-class\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Why Take a Sampler Class&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[351],"class_list":["post-67546","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-538","tag-learning"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67546"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67546\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67905,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67546\/revisions\/67905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}