Thursday's Threads: Online Quilting Class Experience

Online quilting courses are convenient and can help you learn new quilting skills. However, if you have never taken an online course, you may be wondering if they are effective. I felt comfortable giving them a try because I used to teach graduate university courses online. In fact, I helped develop an entire online Master's degree for teachers at my university. Therefore, I already understood that online courses could be effective and that online courses have many benefits.

• ​They are available on your schedule.
• They can viewed as many time as you wish. (This is particularly helpful when you are learning a new skill.)
• They provide an opportunity to learn from well known and respected teachers that might not otherwise be available to you.

​I started by taking online courses that taught skills that I needed to start a quilting business. I found them very helpful. I learned how to develop a consistent brand and how to use the new EQ7 software that I had purchased.

​Recently, Craftsy gave me the opportunity to review one of their online quilting courses. They provided this opportunity because I am an Affiliate. I chose Mix and Match: Inspired Scrappy Quilting by Edyta Sitar because I have admired her work for some time and because the course was about making quilts from scraps. I was interested in learning how to use my scraps more effectively. I was able to watch the first lesson on my iPad while I was traveling by car to Oklahoma City. (My husband was driving.)

​I really like the way the course is set up. There is a supply sheet that provides all fabric and material requirements and includes all needed templates. I like knowing where a class is headed right from the start. This helps me recognize import aspects of the course as it goes along.

​I have just begun the course. In the first lesson, I learned how to select fabrics from my scraps, how to make scrappy strip sets that are attractive and will result in an attractive quilt and how to use the first two templates. My homework is to select fabric, sew strip sets, and use the templates to cut the strip sets.  I will keep you posted as I progress through the course. Right now, I have to get to my stash and play around with fabric. Yeah!

If you have been wanting to try an online quilting course, this is a good time because Craftsy has their online courses on sale though Sunday, May 7th. My Affiliate link to the savings is Online Course Savings.

Happy Quilting!