A Few Craftsy Projects

I've been a Craftsy member for years. I believe I first discovered their platform in 2013. I was with them through their BluPrint stage and then back to Craftsy again. I loved their fabric - especially their sales - and I miss that, but I still think that a lot of the courses are worthwhile and currently have an annual membership so that I can access even the classes that I haven't purchased. 
I'm trying to update my blog with projects completed over the last year that I never reported on previously. So this is the post about my projects made through a Craftsy class. 

Years ago, a friend I had was getting married for the second time. Prior to the wedding, she glibbly stated, "If things don't work out, we can always get a divorce." I was appalled, as that is certainly not my attitude towards marriage, nor do I think it's a healthy attitude for anyone considering marriage. I approach it as "till death do us part" and I took my marriage vows seriously. However, I also recognize that there are circumstances where it is unsafe/unwise for a marriage to continue. And thus it was with my marriage. So, once the initial grief and angst was over, I realized that, while it was sad that my marriage had to end, it was a good thing that it did. (By the way, I lost track of that friend over the years, but I heard through the grapevine that her second marriage ended in divorce. And I continue to maintain an amicable relationship with my ex-husband.)
Last year was the 15th anniversary of my divorce. Is it wrong to celebrate that kind of anniversary? When I think of how toxic and damaging my marriage was, freedom from that situation is something to celebrate. So, I looked up what gift is given to celebrate a 15th anniversary: crystal. Hmm, I really didn't need or want any more crystal, but a crystal inspired quilting project might fit the bill. Choosing Michael Miller Fairy Frost fabric and the Millenium Star design by Peggy Martin in her ebook, Quick Strip Paper Piecing, I made what I call Crystal Anniversary Star. While this book is not part of the Craftsy course, Quick Strip Paper Piecing, it is included with the course. I really enjoy Peggy's technique for completing foundation paper piecing as well as her teaching style. 
When it came to quilting this project, I didn't want the quilting to at all detract from the star, so I just stitched in the ditch around the parts of the star, and then used a corner design from the Meringue pantograph set. I also used the same fabric for the border as the background, so that the star would have the full focus. Still waiting to get this one hung on the wall. 

I really like this tote bag. It's fun, pretty and colourful. The technique is from Pepper Cory's class, Scrap Quilting. It's a strip quilting technique she calls Phone Book Quilts. And yes, I actually did use pages from an old phone book as the foundation for creating these blocks. Unfortunately, phone books around here have gotten smaller since this course first came out, but I just made smaller blocks. Wanting a smaller design for the quilting, I used the Seaweed pantograph. 

This set - 3 table runners, 4 placemats and 1 hot pot holder - is from Marilyn Foreman's Quilted Kaleidoscopes class. Well, the runners are at least. I just had enough kaleidoscope pieces left over to make the rest. I had the runner tops finished probably a few years ago, but hadn't decided what to do with the leftovers. Then once I decided on placemats and a hot pot holder, I had to choose backing and a design for the quilting. Pumpkin Fest is the one I decided on,

figuring the colours looked enough like fall colours to make the set appropriate for a Thanksgiving table. 

It actually took me quite some time to get the binding on as other projects took priority. 

I purchased the quilt kit for this class as well. Some day, I will get around to making that project, too.