Instructional Programming

Hi Everyone,

I'm taking a day off sharing my holiday decorations to talk about something else.  When I was a child, if we were too sick to go to school, then according to my mom, we were too sick to "play" or do very much.  I was able to watch some television, though.  Back in those days there were 4 channels.  That meant game shows and soap operas or PBS. I loved watching weekday PBS.  In those days, Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, and the Electric Company were on, but most of the day featured programming designed for school watching.  There would be "Grade 4 Science," etc.  I liked it all, but my favorite were the art shows.  I remember a watching a lady who sketched pictures and a man who drew a picture from a story while it was being read, etc.  Once I got older, I discovered PBS had instructional programming for adults, too.  Sewing, quilting, cooking, building furniture can all be learned by watching Saturday afternoon.  The next great discovery was HGTV, which seemed to be a whole channel with those kind of shows.  (Now, of course, it is only about buying or selling real estate.) 

Today, you can watch instructional programming on the computer.  Craftsy has brought some of our favorite designers/quilters right into our home to teach us their valuable information.  All at our discretion, when or where we choose and sitting around in our PJs, if we desire.  Have any of you taken their classes?  They are not just for quilting, either!

Over the past few day, I watched Monique Dillard's class, Flying Fat Quarters. Monique is the designed for the Blogger Girls BOM that I did last year and that I'm participating in this year as well as the designer of the Fit to Be Geese and other "Fit to Be" rulers.  I have them all and love them.  She also has three books published and lots of patterns.  Her class focuses on making flying geese and using them in fat-quarter friendly patterns.  You get the instructions for three different projects:  a pillow, and two quilts.  I thought the class was really good.  If you are a beginner, you will learn how to correctly cut, assemble, and press the flying geese (either traditionally or with her rulers.)  If you are experienced, you still pick up some great pointers. It was a fun class to watch.  It is new, and if you are interested, you can get a 25% discount on it if you click the link from her blog, here.

I have two other classes to take.  One I signed up for over a year ago, but I was going to "take it" like a real class--have all my materials ready, and sit down at specific times to work on it.  Now, I think I may just watch the lessons first and then later, I can go back over the lessons, trying things out for myself. 

Have any of you taken a Craftsy class?  If so, which one and what did you think of it?