Hi Sue, I think you are extremely brave. I think that it would be a good thing to start with just hooping and what stabilizers to use for different materials. I wish you lots of luck. Sarah

Try a simple zipper pouch or tote bag. Teach them the embroidery and sewing. I do what I call "Demo and sew" with my 4-Hers in the sewing club. I select the pattern and everyone supplies their own with all the necessary supplies. We work on the laying out and cutting of the pattern and then I do the rest step by step at the meetings. They do get some homework to do at home but it is something that I have showed them how to do first. Sounds like fun...Good luck!

I agree with Sarah. Start with the basics like hooping and what stabilizer to use and when. It is intimidating now with all of the different types of stabilizers to use. You can also poll the members to see where they are and what they would like to learn. And for some of them, it might be the very basics. I can remember when I first got my machine I felt success just in being able to hoop the stabilizer and fabric and stitching out a simple design that was in the machine. Let the members tell you what they are capable of doing. I agree simple projects are the best until you get a handle on what they are able and want to do. I think it is wonderful that you are trying to get the club off the ground. Let us know how the meetings go.

Hi Sue, Before I purchased my first Janome machine when I went to a local Craft show Janome always had a free class that you could book into in the morning. They had a few sessions during the day to choose from if you were early enough. Needless to say I was usually amongst the first to reach their stand LOL. Not sure if you are using embroidery machines but if you are we made a scissor holder case using designs built in from the machines and another time we made a coathanger cover with our initial in the middle with a simple floral design around it. The experience was great and the teachers had us all do the same thing at the same time so no one was racing ahead. Did the embroidery first and then completed the item using the sewing part of the machine. eg sewing seams, adding lace to bottom of cover. The best part was they taught us how to use the edit section on the screen for the embroidery eg. moving items, turning, changing sizes etc. Was a great learning curve for me and really had me hooked. It took me 2 years before I could get my first Janome 9000. Bought it when we sold our home. Hope this helps, Lyn in NSW, Australia.

Hi sue, if you want basic and you are including some machine stitching then go for the 'old bags '. It's just a basic tube with a loop and elastic, any design will do and it would involve a little bit of everything. Measuring, hooping with stabilisers, placing the design and wording, it's a good item that everybody can find a use for.

Hi Sue, so great of you to do this for these people. I agree with all the women below. I really felt that learning how to hoop correctly was of great benefit and knowing what right needles to use.

If there is a simple design inbuilt in the machine have a go at that.

As for a simple project I personally love the 10 minute potholder, or even one of the patchwork ones you've just posted or those little pin cushions. Simple shaped aprons, table runners, doilys etc. etc. Either way simple sewing projects will be the go for the start. Love Chris

The first class is important just as a get to know you idea. Some in your class will have never even turned on their sewing machines and have no idea how to thread the needle, lower the pressure foot etc. That may sound silly but I've taken lots of classes and there are always 1 or 2. Needles, fabric, stabilizer, hooping have been covered as important. If you take the 1st class to gauge abilities, it might go easier. Pair a non educated newbie with one who knows the basics and can help them get started and prepped for the next class of making some thng. A simple ith glass case, or even just a design sewn out on a fabric will intrigue them. Have fun and enjoy.

Sounds like you may need more than one project up your sleeve, with different levels of competence. Good luck.

My Designer dealer never let anyone take a machine home aftter purchase before they had threaded the machine and done all the basic sewing and a first embroidery. they had free meetings through the year, mystery classes and sewing maratons (24 hrs) for a good cause.
A few examples:
1. using a simple design (a little branch built-in one in most models) and stitching and mirroring it to get a new heart-shaped design. On cotton to be used as a potholder; batting and cotton squares included in the package.
2. making a placemat, napkin and napkin holder using the same design in 3 sizes - design supplied by Husqvarna Nederland. Linen type material. Seams made with a sword-needle.
3. sewing and embroidering a fleece hooded shawl.
4. embroidering with gold metallic on white organza for a candle holder. quite a challenge that one.
5. marathon: quilts - embroidering non-stop on 6" squares while some cut strips, others sewed, made the sandwiches and quilted in the ditch. Some 20 people involved, made over 150.
6. Fingerpuppets for the local children's hospital as small gifts after injections and taking blood samples - much fun and it meant ITH on felt.
7. Applique something - the satin outline type as that is easier for beginners than your latest pincushions.
For all projects written instructions were handed out, plus a copy of the embroidery design and the cotton/felt/organza. A list of colours needed was given in advance.

My advice: keep it simple so they can finish in time and vary the material to use from thin to thick as each has its own demands on hooping and stabilising.

Sue I'd like to wish you luck in this endeavour, I wish I'd had a class like this when I was starting.. I wasn't shown how to do much of anything pertaining to the do's and don'ts of embroidery it wasn't until last Christmas I found out about the limits of stitch count, I thought if it was in my format and fit the hoop size then I could stitch it.. and I've had my machine for 10yrs now (gee we're getting old). Marian

What about a zippered tissue case, hooping, embroidery, ITH, zips. quick to make and something you can use straight away. Jo

napkins..
they can buy some at the dollar store or
they can bring 1 yd of fabric
an old sheet or curtain
they can be hemmed or frayed
or cut like the rag quilts so they fray
and embroidered with a design and
the date they made them

know I am late, would like them to see how to correct or check errors, like thread the maschine proberly 4 times in a row, what to do if you hit the wrong button, how to turn the design so if fits to your hooping, all the littel things that can go wrong from the beginning to end with a little simple project, or even a scary one with a zipper. like a sampler sheet in fabric. what did you show them?

Sue perhaps I should join your class lol, I have a brother pr600 not for the capabilities but just for the larger hoop potential , I have never used any of the built in designs or anything as I like to do all my design/layout on computer before transferring via usb, especially as I like to keep a back up file of all designs I have run, but I do regularly clean my machine to keep her tip top xx

My daughter just purchased a new machine, and I have been helping her learn (she is doing good for someone who has no experience even with sewing!) machine embroidery. These are some excellent tips, even for me! Thank you!

I took a monthly class when I first started ME. The instructor charged $5 per month (incredibly cheap) and she supplied most of the supplies for the project. One month we embroidered a corner design and initial on placemats from the Dollar Store. For that one we hooped stabilizer only and put the placemat down on the right place with tape to hold it down. Other times we embroidered on towels, appliqued on towels and embossed on towels. Making ith projects with zippers and pockets is a great learning tool but not for the early classes. Different items made of FSL lace is also great.
Good luck with your class and I wish I could be there.