The Quilt Show Class

Friday, I went to a quilt show in Shizuoka City. I will post pictures from the show at some point. I want to write about this now, because it is still bothering me. 

When classes are offered at quilt shows, I like to take one. I like to learn new things and also have the opportunity to interact with other people. I signed up for a class to make a little appliqué zipper pouch. The class fee was 3300 yen and included the kit. There were two choices, a reddish purple flower kit and the blue one I chose. Here is the picture from the kit.

As soon as I sat down, two class helpers ripped open my kit and started arranging the precut pineapple fabrics on the blue background. Meanwhile, there were three Japanese women who were working with no helpers. I kept telling the two “helpers” I could do it myself. They pinned the pineapple pieces to the blue fabric, and I noticed they pinned the pieces to the back side of the fabric. I tried to show them it was the wrong side of the fabric to no avail, so I unpinned and turned it over. The two of them together started pinning the pieces to the small piece of blue fabric and I could hardly see it because their four hands were in my way. I kept telling them that I could do it and that I wanted to do it. When I finally could see it, the pineapples were crooked and not centered. Next, one of them had a needle threaded, picked up the pinned fabric, and started sewing! By then, I had had enough. I pulled out the needle and thread, gathered up my kit and left. Of all the classes I have taken, I have never had an experience like this. Did they think I was totally stupid and inexperienced because I am not Japanese? No one was helping the Japanese women in the class. I am still angry about this.