Free Craftsy Classes

Happy Sunday all!

I just wanted to give you all a heads up on some free classes that Craftsy is offering up. If you are unsure if video learning is for you I highly suggest signing up for one of the free classes and giving it a try. Once you sign up for a class you can sign in and watch videos 24/7 and you can watch each video as many times as you want. Videos are also able to be viewed on numerous different kinds of mobile devices. 

Sewing Machine 911

Craftsy Block of the Month

 The classes offered on Craftsy are different than something that you get on youtube because you are able to interact with the instructor directly through message boards. You are also able to easily pause and rewind videos without having to wait for the video to buffer again. Another handy feature is that you can make notes at certain times in the video so you can remind yourself of when the instructor showed a particular method.

Prices on classes to vary from time to time. I highly suggest joining the site without signing up for a class first. By signing up you with then receive e-mail updates about classes when they have discounted pricing. I am currently signed up for 5 classes on the site and only paid for 2 so the e-mails are definitely worth it. If you don't want to deal with e-mails just check the site regularly :)

I have read several reviews about Craftsy classes from other bloggers but I have to say that I really enjoy learning in this fashion. It may just be that I am still a new quilter and need all the information that the instructor has to say or maybe I just like the technology. I do know that one of my favorite parts is that when I take a class in person I am so focused on trying to remember everything that I may not do everything in class. With online classes I am able to watch a video again and again without having to worry that I didn't write it down correctly. 

 ***Just a quick reminder that the Shop Hop around southeastern South Dakota is going on all week so don't forget to stop by your favorite shops! 

Happy Quilting!

Angela

Shop Hop Results

I was able to stop in three different quilt shops on my short weekend trip.

 My first two stops were in Mitchell, SD. The Pincushion is a wonderful little shop with lots of samples hung all around. Many of the samples hung up had kits available. They have lots of precuts available and had a great selection of fabric. They also had quilting stencils which you don't see around very much. The shop is fairly large and the ladies there were very helpful.I had been looking for more of the Hometown and Grand Finale fabrics but could only find them online so I was very happy to see them in the store.

Grand Finale Charm Pack, Hometown Layer Cake and Roll Play quilt pattern

 

 

The second stop in Mitchell was at the Fabric and Textile Warehouse. This is just on the opposite corner of Main Street in Mitchell so a very quick walk :) This place had tons and tons of fabric. Not all was quilting material but that's just fine with me. They did have a variety of quilting patterns including things from Vanilla House and Atkinson Designs. I did not see many samples hung up but the store is very large so I did not get to see everything. I am planning on making an apron and table runner for a family member that is getting married and I thought the below fabrics would work really well together. I bought 2 yards of each so that should leave me plenty of room for both projects.

2 yards of each fabric

The Quilt Shop in Chamberlain was the last stop on my route. This shop was once an old house and has since been converted into a quilt shop. The whole main floor was jam packed with fabric. There were a few samples hung around for table runners and other small items but I did not see many quilts hung around. There were plenty of books to choose from as well as fat quarters. Due to the area that they are in they also had many different kinds of hunting and fishing fabrics around. There were a few kits available but most did not appeal to me. I picked up this fat quarter pack and table runner pattern to go with my previous coffee material purchase in Mitchell. The table pattern is a quilt-as-you-go type of thing so I think it will work very well for me.

Fat Quarter Table Runner pattern and fat quarter pack

The Pincushion

320 North Main Street  

Mitchell, SD 57301

http://www.thepincushionquiltshop.com/

 

Fabric and Textile Warehouse

401 North Main Street (Downtown)

Mitchell, SD 57301 

http://www.fabrictextilewarehouse.com/catalog/index.php

The Quilt Shop

315 N. Main
Chamberlain, SD 57325

http://www.southdakotaquiltshop.com/index.html 

Have a great week!

Angela

B Blocks and a Quick Shop Hop

Last night I finished up the B Blocks to my 5 Yard Quilt. Once all A & B blocks were complete I trimmed them up. They were supposed to be 8.5 x 8.5 squares however I made mine 8.25 x 8.25 since my quarter inch seam is a little over what it should be. I couldn't really get this quilt in my head until the B blocks were done. It's really amazing how cutting up fabric can change the look completely. I posted a picture below of how some of the quilt top should look when finished. There will be two borders to this quilt. I believe that there is a small green border and a large red border. The binding for the project will be green.

 

B block - prior to trimming

Trim, trim, trim.

  

I'm not sure how much more I will get done this weekend, as I am heading out of town shortly. I think that I will be able to hit two quilt shops this afternoon so I will let you know my findings. These are both shops that I have never been to so I'm excited to see what they have.

Have a great weekend!

Angela

June Quilting Events

  What's that you say? You want to go quilting every weekend in June? Well then here are my suggestions for activities! Get out there while the weather is nice!

Crossing Borders Spring Fling Shop Hop 2012
Saturday, June 2 through Saturday, June 9, 2012

Visit 10 great quilt shops
in Minnesota & South Dakota

FREE table runner pattern and
pewter charm at each shop!
(While supplies last)

Prize drawings for hoppers
visiting all shops!

Dutch Rose Quilt Shop ~ Sioux Falls, SD
Lone Tree Legend Quilts ~ Lake Preston, SD
Always Your Design ~ Dell Rapids, SD
Canton Quilt Corner ~ Canton, SD
Dakota Quilt Shop ~ Watertown, SD
Rising Star Quilt Shop ~ Watertown, SD
Fabrics Plus ~ Marshall, MN
The Sewing Basket ~ Luverne, MN
Crafty Corner ~ Worthington, MN
Prairie Quilting ~ Windom, MN

Black Hills Quilt Show
Friday, June 8 through Sunday, June 10, 2012

Black Hills Quilts Guild Present the 38th Annual Black Hills Quilt Show

Located at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center
444 Mt. Rushmore Road N. 
Rapid City, SD

The dates for their 2012 retreat have been set as Thursday, September 27 through Sunday, September 30, 2012
More information is available at www.blackhillsquilters.org

MQ 2012 Quilt Show and Conference - Rochester, MN
Thursday, June 14 and Sunday, June 16

Mayo Civic Center
30 Civic Center Dr SE

More information is available at MQ2012 Quilt Show and Conference 

Quiltfest - Freeman, SD 
Friday, June 29 and Saturday, June 30

Friday Hours: 1-9pm
Saturday Hours: 9am-3pm

Quiltfest is held at the Freeman Academy campus. 

A quilt show and demonstrations will be some of the festivities
. 

Friday Demos: 2pm, 4pm and 7pm
Saturday Demos: 10am, 11am and 1pm

Admission is $5 for adults

Angela