I hope you are not sick yet of seeing this double wedding ring quilt.

It will be a marathon with this one, I am in the attempt to try and finish this soon. So,  I made it as my January UFO finish, just to keep me accountable to finish it.

I am doing a UFO challenge with APQchallenge this year so, let’s hope this is a great start.

If you are a quilter, you may already know this common two abbreviation.

But just in case someone new pop on to this blog, just let me make it clear:

UFO:

Unfinished Object, half sewn, half-way done but has long forgotten. Sometimes unknowingly appear in the mess of looking for something in the sewing room. Sometimes, it has been so long that the owner forgets what was it meant to be. Erk. 🙂

WIP:

Work In Progress. Things that are still being worked on whether slowly progressing or being in the front view. Or waiting in the list to be done. it got on the list so it is in progress.

However, WIP can easily be turned into UFO once they got neglected and being shoved way under that pile. or that drawer. or that basket. wherever you keep it. 🙂

Anyway,

Today, I am going to be taking you through my current UFOs and WIPs.

So just a warning: this is going to be a lengthy post. Just so you know I am going into details with these WIPs and UFOs.

January seems like a great time to post about these, so I am doing it.

Besides, I have just moved house and got a new sewing space, and finishing off old projects seems like a good idea to start with.

I love small gifts.

Small little gifts are the best. Often time when I do swaps, little gifts are the best to have fun with.

Here I list some of the things a quilter would love as a little gift from loving friends.. or that a quilter would buy for herself as a small treat for herself 🙂

It’s often nice to go shopping with a friend who kind of has the same items on her shopping list.

I mean it’s no fun at all having someone to just wait for you watching you choose whatever item you are looking for while doing the look.

That look saying “are you done”?

Well, while that rarely happens, as I do try and respect my shopping partner/s (ehem, usually my husband and kids these days) I do wish that I would have more time shopping with the ladies.

Especially the one who loves quilting and sewing.

So today, I am asking you out shopping with me. At least window shopping if not buying.

Come let me show you what is in my shopping cart and let me know yours!

Wondering how you can start organizing your fabric scraps?

Is your scrap basket overflowing and overwhelming you?

How do you deal with leftover scraps from a finished project?

While sometimes I may have the idea for a coordinating project like this pillow here for my quilt,  most of the times, I don’t feel the desire to work with a bundle of used fabrics. So, where do these fabrics end up?

They either; 1. get further cut into smaller pieces or; 2. be left as they already are to be used in smaller projects. 

In this post, I’ll share with you the process of how I organize my fabric scraps starting from the moment they leave the first finished project.

I am a constant learner.

Am sure many of you are too.

In fact, life itself is the greatest teacher, right?

So everybody is actually still learning and will always be.

But today in this post, I am going to be talking about a different kind of learning. The one that creates the feeling of accomplishment, the one that ignites that little spark in life, the one that may fill the gap of emptiness.. and I am talking about learning to be creative.

Yes, you heard that right. One can actually learn to be creative. Some may be born with full of creativity, but I have heard so many people that they are just not creative and will never be. And I am so against that.

One can actually be creative IF they chose to be.

Now, creativeness is subjective and broad.

But if you choose to do more in life, to feel the sense of creating and making things, guess what, you are not alone.

That sense is probably your sixth sense telling you that it’ll make you happier.

Cause it does. Being creative creates a happier life. Backed by science.

So, if you’re a quilter like me – you are on the right track to creating happiness in your life. YEAY!

But being already creative means you will always crave to learn more right? So you are in the right place today.

If you are not yet a creative person and thinking of being more creative in life, you are also on the right page.

In this post, I’ll share with you the top 5 online classes that you can take right now, right where you are to kick-start that creativity in you.

Why Online Classes you say?

Because you just need to act now. And I myself is an online class junkie. I love online classes. They suit my time, my location and I can set my own pace.

Perfect. Just take the class and schedule it on your own time.

I am not against real life-classes though. They have great benefits but if you are short of budget, time and limited to areas or places you can go to, “online classes” is the answer. Believe me. They kick start everything.

So just do it. Kick that procrastination and just start learning. You can if you want to.

TOP 5 ONLINE CRAFT CLASSES PLATFORMS

There are affiliate links in this post for your convenience. Please find the full disclosure here.

#1 CRAFTSY

You’ve heard me talked about this one before.

I am a big fan of CRAFTSY classes. Purely because there are specific niche areas like quilting, sewing, and baking over at the platform. So, for a big fan of quilting like me, there are tons of classes that I can take to upgrade my level of creativeness in the field of quilting.

However, it is not only limited to quilting and sewing and baking… they have many other niches as well covering various crafts and skills.

Plus+ they have supplies available for sale too including quilting kits and yarns.

My personal favourites:

• Pre-Cut Piecing Made Simple: Learn easy quilts using precut fabrics. Great patterns in here to use up you precut stash.
• Basic Crochet: Did you know I crochet too? Crochet is a lot of fun if you haven’t tried it. This class takes you through the basics and beyond of crochet to get you hooked!
• Scrappy Quilting: For more adventurous quilters. If you have been quilting for a while and want to level up your game in quilting, try this class. Learn Y-seams, putting together scraps in a gorgeous layout, and learn amazing tips and tricks of Edyta Sitar in conquering scrappy quilting.

If you haven’t tried Craftsy yet, try these option to start:

• Start scouring the SALE section to get classes at a great price.
• FREE lifetime access DIY classes

#2 SKILLSHARE

I have been a long fan of Skillshare Classes.

One of the best thing about Skillshare to me is the reasonable pricing per month which is affordable to me. Although you do have to make your pick which classes are great, the pricing per month and the unlimited class you can take is totally worth it.

I take classes of watercolours in Skillshare and some letterings classes. I do like both of these besides my regular sewing and quilting hobby.

If you are looking into learning to watercolour, there are lots of classes available in Skillshare for that. Highly recommend that.

One of my favourite watercolour artist that does amazing work and teaches over at Skillshare is Ana Victoria – Check her classes out.

However, they also have a variety of classes covering business, freelancing, photography and many more.

I pick my classes based on people I am already following elsewhere or by the reviews and number of students enrolled in the course. That basically gives you the rough idea of how good the course will be.

Thinking of trying Skillshare? Here are some options:

• Try their FREE classes first here.
• or get 2 months of FREE premium membership in which during that first two months you can take any classes in Skillshare. There’s a lot to choose from. This is how I got stuck with Skillshare. Two months is long enough to see whether you’ll love it or not. So go try this now.

#3 CREATIVEBUG

Creative Bug is another place I go to to feed my quilting love.

With my favourite designers Anna Maria Horner, Carolyn Friedlander classes on Creative Bug, the $4.95/month subscription or about $9.90 per class, they are worth the spend.

Check out more quilting classes available on creative Bug here.

If you are looking into venturing out other craft classes, there are various to choose from including knitting, crochet, art& design and paper crafts.

Need inspirations to be more creative? Try 30 days to a more creative life.

#4 BRIT + CO

Another awesome platform for the bright and the cheeries.

I love Brit+Co’s bright coloured blog and their simple DIY’s.

Recently they launched their online classes including some of the best hot trends in DIY including some of my favourites:

• Brush Lettering: all in one bundle to get you started with brush lettering. I am a lover of brush lettering myself and let me tell you, I feel like my everyday journal writing is another creative outlet these days with brush lettering skills. Check out the bundle of lettering Classes here.

• Embroidery Typography: Another fall hard love. If you have been with me long enough, you’ll know that I love florals! This is definitely on my list to do someday. Check out the beautiful colourful flower embroidery class here.

• Creative Freelancing: another class by a fabric designer, Elizabeth Olwen, designer of Cloud fabric is letting out the secrets to freelancing surface pattern designing. Which is also on my list for the future. (Currently, this class is FREE paid by Cotton)

I am excited to see more classes coming in Brit+Co as they grow. In the meantime, let’s enjoy some of the ones they already have shall we?

#5 CREATIVELIVE

Here is another platform which is much of a wider coverage.

Topics can be similar to those found in skillshare but these are individually priced. So if you are not just into craft, there are also tons of other classes like bussiness, motivational and other life skills there.

Craft Classes at CREATIVELIVE:

Here is the link to take you right to the CRAFT CLASSES available on creativelive.

Not only that there are craft classes in that category -t here are also tons of classes that teaches you how to build a handmade bussiness.

(related: I previously talked about making money from your hobby here)

My personal favourites:

• Knit Maker 201 : where you can learn how knit socks! I love sock knitting but just haven’t yet ventured deep into this but I have made a couple of socks myself here, here and here. So this class is a perfect addition to that.
• Surface Pattern Designing: I love patterns. And I love fabric. Bonnie Christine is an Art Gallery Fabric designer and she takes you through this whole surface pattern designing on illustrator in this class. I love Bonnie’s soft voice and her style of teaching. She also have classes in skillshare which I have previosly taken and LOVE.
• Love Improv Quilting: Here is one of quilting that I love. Modern vibrant colours. I love Malka’s style. If you are new to improv quilting, you’ll love this class.

Well if you are not sure what you want to be making or creating I would love to suggest you the following:

• Check out the sales/promotion page right here to dive right into some awesome classes that are on SALE.
• Check out the FREE live classes here to try out first!

If you are a maker already, spread the word to inspire others to be a maker too by pinning this image.