Craftsy quilting class question
 

What is the best quilting class for a beginner to take from Craftsy? I need to get over my fear of sandwiching a quilt and learning to quilt on my DSM. Would like to hear pros and cons from those that have taken a class. Are there Utube videos that will teach the same thing?

The 2013 BOM class with Laura Downes is very good. I'm no longer a beginner, but I am very impressed with her clear explanations and covering the basics even as she teaches each BOM. She is an experienced teacher and the class is worth it. Jenny Doan's Quilting Quickly would also be a good one to look at. The advantages of Craftsy over U tube are: Once you purchase it, it is yours forever. There's a 30 second repeat option, and of course you can access at any time and there's no possibility of it disappearing. The classes are designed to help people learn many basic skillsand they are filmed with this in mind. Also there are a good amount of printed materials that come with each class. Just some things to think about. I'm a teacher so I appreciate the abilities and effort of others to share this craft.

I may not have made myself clear. I'm looking for information on taking a FMQ class using my DSM. Are the Craftsy classes good (and if so which one) or is there something better out there. I don't know how to sandwich and quilt a quilt.

I'm doing Quilting Big Projects on a Small Machine with Ann Petersen and think it is well worth the price. The Craftsy classes go on sale frequently. Craftsy is actually better than a lot of "real" classes in that you are looking over the instructor's shoulder and you can bookmark places that you think might be tricky for later reference. You can ask questions and either the instructor or your classmates will answer.

you tube how to sandwich a quilt you will get a lot of things to watch and learn from and there free. But I have taken Craftsy classes to.

I, too, liked Ann Peterson's Quilting Big Projects on a Small Machine. I also like Leah Day's classes on Free Motion Quilting. I buy the Craftsy classes when they are on sale and I consider them well worth money. I have never had a question for the instructor as the instructions were clear; but the times I have sent a message to the instructor, I got a fast response. I like the fact that I can work at my own speed, view the lessons at any time, and look back over lessons as often as I like.

Took Beyond Basics Machine Quilting by Ann Peterson, purchased on sale and felt it was well worth it. I am a beginner quilter. doing mostly SITD. So I found this to be very helpful.

I am taking Ann peterson beyond basics FmQ and so far like it the lessons are thoroughly done, quite a lot of info, really like it

Love Leah Day's classes the best. Very helpful. Also love Ann Peterson's. well worth the money. I have no regrets!

Glad you asked this question, because like you I have refrained from buying any classes yet. I watch a lot of the Utube videos and have been sitting on the fence about purchasing a craftsy one.

I'm thinking about doing the quilting quickly class or any of the beginner classes... I'm not a beginner per se but I've never had any instruction and I'm sure there is A LOT I could learn. I've watched some you tube videos and the light bulbs are going off left and right. Things I never knew! If anyone starts a class that would be fun to do it together!

I've looked at Beyond Basic Machine Quilting and Machine Quilting Free Motion and More. Does anyone know if these are different enough to warrant purchasing both?

Beyond Basic Machine Quilting covers feathers, embellishments, echo quilting - what I would call a little more advanced. Machine Quilting Free Motion and More covers a lot of basic information about sandwiching and preparing your quilt, then she goes into simple quilting and progresses to more complicated designs. I would definitely say that are completely different from one another. The two instructors are very different from each other also - Ann Pederson does more traditional, block-style quilting, whereas Wendy Butler Berns does art quilts. Hope that helps you! Maybe it would also be helpful to check out each teacher's gallery? Wendy's is http://www.wendybutlerberns.com/gallery_narratives.php and Ann's is http://obsessivequilter.weebly.com/gallery.html.

I haven't taken the Beyond Basic but I have taken the Machine Quilting with Wendy Butler Burns. I learned a lot even though I have been FMQ for a year.

Thanks everyone for the input, and thanks DonnaC for the description of the two I'm considering. With the classes 50% off I think I will take them both.

I'm signed up for Leah Day's Free Motion Fillers but I'm still at the making the quilt top stage so it is hard to say. I do like Leah and have already picked up a tip or two on making the quilt sandwich from her class. You can go to her website and watch her videos to see if her teaching style suits you. I really like her approach. There are several advantages to the Craftsy class over watching YouTube or going to Leah's site.
First, you can ask questions and get answers.
Second, you can do the 30 second repeat so if you didn't quite 'get' something a simple click gets you right back. Much easier than trying to do that on a YouTube video.
Third, you can make notes and mark spots in the class so you can return.
And last, but not least, you can post your photos and get feedback on your progress.
I think it is well worth the money but I would also suggest you go to Craftsy and sign up for one of their free classes - like BOM. This will get you on the mailing list and you will received notices for sales on the classes. They have sales fairly often and you can save a little money that way.
Here is a link to Leah's website where her free videos are posted by difficulty level and it will give you a chance to see her teaching style. http://www.daystyledesigns.com/365difficultymain.htm

I really liked Machine Quilting by Wendy Butler Burns. She gives great information on sandwiching, quilting, and all the way to binding. I took her class when I was starting quilting again after a 20 year hiatus.

I love Craftsy. Over the last year and a half I have signed up for over 20 quilting classes. Twice I signed up for classes that I felt like were not for me. True to their word, Craftsy refunded my money - no questions asked. Once you purchase a class, you will get an email with a link to get the next one for $25. That is the most I will pay for one and I find them on sale a lot.

Enjoy!!!
Sheri

I have signed up for several of the quilting classes from Craftsy and have found all of them very worth my time. In fact, I signed up for two yesterday because they were 50% off. I liked all of them but I am rather partial to Cindy Needham's class because I like her style of quilting. Leah Day's class is very well done-but that isn't my style so I enjoyed the class and her enthusiasm but will probably stick with Ann Peterson and Wendy Burns and....and....I am trying the free motion feathers. Maybe that is my thing! My point is that Craftsy classes are well done and worth the cost.

I also have this class and have used it. It was extremely helpful to me. You may also ask the teacher questions and she is very good about getting back to you with answers. I personally like her tenchniques. Very down to earth and easy to understand. Yolanda Wood River

If you email Craftsy and ask them to reduce the price of a certain class, they will reduce it by at least 50% for you when it's not on sale. I have done that to every class I have bought. They have no problem letting you take the class for a better price. In fact, they want your money and know you'll come back for more. I'm in over 10 classes easily.

I haven't read all the replies yet, and I'm a day late (I get the digest), but the answer is YES definitely, the Craftsy classes are wonderful. I have 7 FMQ and watch them over and over. Both of Ann Peterson's are excellent and she is an outstanding instructor. The 2 that are the most basic beginner FMQ is Ann's Quilting Big Quilts on Your Desktop and Wendy Butler Burns Beginning Free Motion. They cover everything from start to finish. (sandwiching included) Cindy Needham's Design It, Quilt It, is also great, and a little different technique in sandwiching and getting started on the desktop FMQ. See, I just can't pick one. Each time I get a new one I say "This one is the best". Craftsy runs sales all the time, and as soon as you buy one, you'll get an email and they'll offer you another at half price. I couldn't say no, and I am so glad I did. I have learned so much, and received so much encouragement from their "one on one" approach platform of the classes.
I don't think you would be disappointed at all.
Susan
North Idaho

I really liked Ann Peterson's class on quilting big quilts on a small machine. Very informative and helpful. I also just started a couple of classes with Leah Day. For the Leah Day class on quilting a sampler, it's helpful if you made the sampler from the block of the month. I didn't so I'm just using practice squares. She does start out the class with info about sandwiching a quilt. Both teachers are good and seem to be very responsive to questions.

You can find YTube videos that show how to sandwich a quilt and quilt it on your DSM and also videos
on how to FMQ on your DSM. You do NOT have to pay for any classes to learn any of the lessons
that you are wanting to learn.

Thanks everyone. I've read all the responses and think I now might purchase three classes! Thanks again.

I am also enrolled in this class,,, Ann is an excellent instructor..:)

Judy in Phx, Az

I took the Design it, Quilt it class... thinking it was more advanced however the teacher really was targeting the beginner. I will say that I have used her way of table basting a quilt - modified since I use glues instead of pins and that was priceless to me.

The one thing that really really REALLY irritated me is that she uses the word hoohah a lot which is slang for a female private part.. and that just drove me nuts to no end...

She doesn't have specific lessons for you to do - at least none that I could really find. She just shows you what to do... but for learning to baste a quilt I think that class is so worth it. Her table basting method is great, especially if you make double sided quilts - which I do nearly all of the time.