A good teacher adapts to student's learning styles. I prefer learning methods of doing things rather than how to replicate a certain block or quilt. Part of the fun in quilting is to create something dozens of different people don't have.

I'll chip in here, I wouldn't want to be forced to buy thangles to complete the block. How many do you need, my guess very few and you'll be left with a package, you will use at some point. Same with fancy rulers... However if it was stated from the beginning you would need 'x-y-z', but it doesn't sound like you were.
Now my peeve for the day I need white 120" or 108" muslin, can I find it 'no'. I can find all the fancy stuff for $17.00 a yard. I finally broke down and bought one of the fancy ones and find it very hard to hand quilt. In my mind I can make more tops if I don't spend $50.00 on back. So now I go the mail-order route and get the batting because it is $10.00 cheeper mail-order. So local quilt shop lost business.

I say to tell her nicely what your problems are and see what she does from there. That's what I would want in the same place.

Even if she doesn't change, at least she'll know why.

PS I think I know what you mean by that voice; it's like she's talking to a child!

If you already have the kit, but no thangles, check with another person in that group and ask if you can purchase just enough thangles from her for your one block. Chances are she has way more than she'll be needing as well. You never know, she just might give you the 2 or 3 sheets it takes depending on size. Next month, check the block first or ask before you pay for it. Better yet, contact me via email and I'll mail you whatever size you need. I purchased a huge package of all the sizes from a quilt show and don't normally use them. I prefer my way instead.
Jan in Vermont.

There's a shop like that here too ... they charge for little 5 min. demos, for a 10-min "sample" & even to attend a trunk show by a LOCAL quilter who spoke for all of 10 min ! It's not like the quilter had to travel or be put up at a hotel ... cheep cheep
I worked & taught at 2 LQS a few yrs ago. In TODAY'S economy if I had my own shop, I would offer such goodies gratis - just to get people IN MY DOOR ! If you get people INTERESTED in TRYING a new product or technique, you'll have buyers !
It's amazing to me how many shops can't even be bothered to have a nice pot of coffee or tea for shoppers, a plate of cookies ... or give a fat quarter, a notion or a free pattern with larger purchases ... little things like that are remembered and can make a difference WHICH way we steer the car on the NEXT quilt outing !! :roll:

I would take the fabric piece back and say I don't want to use Tangles so this fabric isn't enough for me to make the block. If she says you have to buy more fabric, then you know she isn't worth your time anymore. If she offers the fabric then continue to shop there and wear earplugs.

I guess if I felt like that and she got on my nerves I just wouldn't go back. There are other places you might enjoy more.

Our Saturday Sampler is kind of like that - the block is free is you come to your assigned time and stay for the whole presentation - usually 30 minutes of show and tell and a sales pitch on their latest items. But they always say at the end, if you need help with this block, please stay and someone goes over the instructions with you. We always have a good crowd at each session.

I tend to speak up when I get into a situation when I'm supposed to be learning something and they're "pitching" their goods vs. teaching the class. I've found if one person speaks up, then the rest get braver and speak up too, and before you know it, we're on tract. Of course that only works if the person running the class knows what they're doing. Sometimes, that's not the case.

Sorry to hear of your troubles. I wouldn't want to have to buy a bunch of stuff I'd only use just to finish a block.

Having said that, at my favorite LQS (which really isn't that local, about 45 minutes away) I just took a 2 hour beginning FMQ class - the price? $15. Great deal. It's a great store. Of course she did have things to sell you that will make the job easier, but she certainly wasn't pushy about it.

There are a few shops closer, one I won't walk into again because the 2 ladies working in the shop were horrible, one kind of followed me around (trying to be discrete) and gave me the feeling she was trying to make sure I didn't steal anything, and the other one was very snobby. Too bad, because they did have some neat things. I just won't subject myself to that. The other closer shop doesn't have a very large selection. I did just learn of another one about 20 minutes from me and I hope to check that out in the next week or two.