Creativebug Ready to flex your creative muscles, but not sure where to start? Check out this year’s most popular classes:
1. Basic Line Drawing with Lisa Congdon
Learn basic stylized line drawing from one of today’s most sought-after artists. Lisa covers the basics of line drawing, shows you how to build beautiful patterned drawings, and teaches fun projects for integrating line drawing into your repertoire. Lisa starts with the basics: where to begin, working from a photo and the principles of composition before moving onto basic geometrics and creating patterns. Then she shows you how to work with vintage photos, using line work for previous classes. And finally, Lisa teaches you how to create a block lettered alphabet. Whether you are just learning how to draw, or you want to deepen a regular creative practice, this class will fuel your imagination and show you how to create infinite designs from simple shapes.
2. Beginning Embroidery Sampler with Rebecca Ringquist
This workshop starts with the very basics of embroidery – setting up a hoop and threading needles – and dives into a visual encyclopedia of the most common stitches. Rebecca teaches straight stitches before moving onto decorative and knotted stitches, including the elusive French knot. Along the way, she offers tips for smooth embroidery and examples from her stitched artwork as inspiration. (Pssst: buy the kits here)
3. Pattern Drafting with Cal Patch
Design your own wardrobe as you learn the basics of pattern drafting from clothing designer Cal Patch. Over this four-week course, Cal covers the basics of drafting a versatile pattern for dresses, tunics, shirts and skirts using nothing but your own measurements, a measuring tape, pencil and paper. Cal will also demystify how to make a muslin, adjust fit, and customize details. At the end of the course, you’ll have a master pattern tailored just for you, as well as the inspiration and know-how to whip up a brand new wardrobe from scratch.
4. Gumdrop Pillow with Amy Butler
Learn to make stacks of these pillows in all different combinations of fabric. Their oversized scale lends a cozy drama to any part of your home. Amy shows you how to build the pillow in sections, insert an invisible zipper and finish the pillow. Bring one of Amy’s signature styles into your sewing repertoire and your home.
5. Cabled Afghan Knit-Along with Edie Eckman
Welcome to our Knit-Along! Over the course of 12 weeks, knitting pro Edie Eckman takes you on a whirlwind adventure exploring the wide world of cables. Each week, you will learn new stitch patterns with a variety of twists and turns, and at the very end, you’ll put all of the blocks together to make a gloriously textured, cozy afghan. Edie presents this afghan in one neutral shade of gorgeous Red Heart Yarn, but you can use whatever colors float your boat for your own unique design. Pick out your favorite shade(s) at Red Heart and get started today.
6. Fabrics 101 with Liesl Gibson
In this informative class, Liesl of Oliver + S takes you to her favorite fabric store in New York City and shares helpful tips on how to navigate fabric shops. There is a lot to consider when selecting fabric, from understanding the difference between woven and knit fabrics to grasping the fundamentals of drape. Liesl demystifies the basics, and then goes on to discuss the unique qualities of the most popular fibers available: silk, cotton, and wool. You’ll walk away from this class with a better understanding of what kind of fabric will work best for the project you’re making, and the confidence to experiment with new fibers.
7. Color-Dive Half Square Triangle Quilt by Anna Maria Horner
In this gorgeous, color-filled class, Anna shows quilters how to make a vibrant quilt using half-square triangles and squares. This is a perfect class for combining scraps of fabric from your stash. Anna begins by walking quilters through the process of sorting their fabrics into color groups, and from there she demonstrates how to cut and piece the squares and half-square triangles. The real fun begins when Anna goes to the design wall to lay out all of the pieces—when assembled, the half-square triangles come together to create blocks of color that dive right down the center of the quilt. While the project involves a lot of patchwork, the cutting and piecing are easy and the process of sorting colors is pure fun.
8. Art Journaling with Dawn Sokol
Take a leap into the vibrant world of art journaling with Dawn DeVries Sokol. Art journaling is an artistic way of documenting your life within the pages of a journal – but instead of using words alone, you’ll be using pens, paint, and collage to express yourself and record moments from your life. Over the next four weeks, Dawn will be with you each step of the way, with tips on painting, doodling, and composition, and frequent reminders that there are no rules. Simply grab a blank journal, doodle to your heart’s content, splash the page with paint, cover it in collage, and scribble on the page all over again. Whether you have five minutes, half an hour, or endless days to fill up your pages, we hope this course will inspire you to make time each date to be creative.
9. Dreamy Hexagons Medallion Quilt with Kaffe Fassett and Liza Lucy
In this class, Kaffe and Liza work together to create a masterful medallion quilt in rich, warm tones. The quilt begins with a stunning medallion center that is comprised of English paper-pieced hexagon rings and hand-appliqued fussy-cut fabrics. From there, the quilt expands with several colorful borders—some patchworked, some solid—which come together to create a lush, harmonious effect. Throughout the making of this low-contrast quilt, Kaffe explains his process for selecting fabrics, demonstrating various options on a design wall. At the end of the class, enjoy bonus footage of Kaffe and Liza sharing stories about how they met and the creative journey they are on together.
10. Bake a Naked, Layered Chocolate Cake with EmilyTatak of Wilton
In the first week of our work-along course, learn how to bake the perfect chocolate cake and ice it with velvety buttercream icing. Emily will teach you how to prep your ingredients, mix them and bake the cakes, all while avoiding the three C’s (crowning, cracking, and crumbing). Once the cakes have cooled, you’ll be ready to level and torte the cakes plus assemble them in a multi-layer stack. Emily will also show you how to whip up a batch of buttercream and ice the cake like a pro.
11. Homemade Apothecary with Amy Karol
Make your own lip balm, facial oil, deodorant, and more, by looking no further than your pantry or local health food store. Amy expertly demystifies the ingredients you need and offers recipes and ratios that result in delicious smelling, high-quality beauty products that will leave your skin and body radiant.
12.Sew a Sailor Top with Fancy Tiger
Jaime and Amber from Fancy Tiger Crafts take you step-by-step through sewing their iconic Sailor Top. This wardrobe classic works up beautifully in light to medium-weight woven fabrics and is written in six sizes (ranging from a bust size of 32″ to 45″). The Sailor Top is not only flattering for every body type, but it is also great for building skills – you will learn how to make a gathered yoke, insert raglan sleeves, and hem raw edges, amongst many other useful techniques. Download the included pattern and start whipping up this sassy staple.
…And for good measure, and also because we’re finishing off 2014, here are two more of our most popular classes:
13. Sew Furry Animal Hats with Simplicity
Michele from Simplicity teaches you how to stitch up a variety of animal hats and hoods, including foxes, bears and leopards, following an easy Simplicity pattern. You will need to purchase Simplicity Pattern 1514, available at Simplicity.com, and then Michele will walk you through every step of the pattern, including great tips on working with faux fur to create a variety of silhouettes. This is a perfect beginner sewing project, and the finished hoods will be a big hit with children (and adults) of all ages.
14. Make a Wild Rose & Thistle Centerpiece with Livia Cetti
In this class, Livia shares her technique for making wild roses and thistles out of tissue paper. From dip-dye bleaching the paper to attaching the petals and leaves with floral tape, Livia covers every step of the paper-flower making process. She then shows you how to display the branches to make a gorgeous, organic tabletop centerpiece, perfect for weddings, parties, or any festive gathering.