(Links in this post are affiliate links. I will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking those links. See my disclosure page for more information)
Are you wanting to make Awesome DIY Christmas this year but your skills are a bit rusty, or not all that you feel they could be?
One thrifty way to get considerably more instruction than you are going to find in an average blog post is to enroll in a free mini class from Craftsy.
Craftsy classes are video driven and given by expert instructors. Most free mini classes take an evening to view, and come with a complete list of supplies.
I recently took a look through Craftsy current listing of 38 free mini classes and came up with a list of 10 that I think you could take and come away with the skills you need to make awesome DIY Christmas gifts.
Remember what I talked about last Friday, sometimes being thrifty means thinking outside the box, so don’t let the name of some of these courses make you think “that is not a Christmas gift” but instead think “how could I take the skills I would learn in that free mini class and make great inexpensive gifts”.
10 free mini Craftsy classes that can help you create awesome DIY Christmas gifts
1. Beautiful Wire Work Jewelery
Learn to make 3 different pieces of wire jewelery including a hoop necklace, drop earnings and a leather & bead bracelet with the free mini class Beautiful Wire Work Jewelery
2. Professional Family Portraits
Are you wanting to take advantage of all the free and deeply photo print deals found around the web this time of year but your photo ability is extremely lacking? Me too! Which is why I am planning on sitting down really soon and watching Craftsy free mini course “Professional Family Portraits” . The course contains an hour and half of up close instruction on how to take better portraits of you loved ones.
3. Spectacular Stamping
Do you have stamps gathering dust. Get them out and spend just over an hour watching the free mini course Spectacular stamping and learn how to use those stamps to make gifts. The course shows you how to make cards, but you could apply the skills to so many more DIY gift ideas. One idea would be to stamp up a favorite bible verse or saying and frame it for a loved one.
4. Create Stunning Birthday Cards
I know what you are thinking, this is suppose to be about DIY Christmas gifts not Birthdays, however Create Stunning Birthday Cards is a free mini class that would teach you techniques you could easily apply to making Christmas cards. You could also make sets of blank cards to give as gifts. Sometimes being thrifty requires thinking outside of the box, so look beyond the course name to what skills you can learn and apply to the gifts you want to create.
5. Piece, Patch, Quilt: Basic Quilt Making Skills
What I love about quilting most, is that you don’t have to buy new fabric if you don’t want to, especially if you are making a small project. You can make a quilt big enough for a dolly bed, out of a few dress shirts you no longer wear. You can make a toddler bed sized quilt out of you child’s favorite clothes they out grew. If you haven’t made a quilt before or if it has been a while try taking the free mini class Piece, Patch Quilt: Basic Quilt Making Skills and be inspired.
6. Bag Making Basics: A Reversible Tote & Zipper Pouch
I am really wanting to watch Bag Making Basics: A Reversible Tote & Zipper Pouch as I think the reversible totes would make amazing gifts and I just so happen to have some great material I found at yard sales. The zipper pouch would also make a great gift stuffed with pencils, pens and erasers, or lip gloss, a pretty nail file, and candy.
7. Bag Making Basics: Drawstring Bag and Bucket Bag
Either of the projects in Bag Making Basics: Drawstring Bag and Bucket Bag would make great gifts, and would be a great way to use up fabric scraps, or remnants found in the bargain bins of fabric stores.
Draw string bags make excellent gift bags that recipients can either re-gift with their own gift inside or keep and use for storing millions of things from phone chargers to shoes, depending on the size.
The Bucket bag would be a good alternative to using a basket to fill with gifts. Fill the bag with Duplo, or blocks found on sale for a small child, hand made scrubs and lotions for a girl friend, and perhaps a universal remote, (usually a freebie one offered somewhere on Black Friday) and snacks for the favorite guy in your life.
For those of you who want to take you sewing machine skills further this Christmas season so you can create amazing gifts these next 3 free mini courses are for you.
8. Machine Savvy Tips for Creative Sewing
The skills shared in Machine Savvy Tips for Creative sewing are done on a Janome sewing machine (which I happen to have a basic one and love it) . This course contains tips for using you machines free arm more effectively, how to raise your pressure foot without moving your material, how to sew a blind hem, how to do pipping and much more. I would think if your machine isn’t a Janome you would still glean some skills from taking this free mini course.
9. Sewing Machine Feet From A to Z
Have you ever sat and stared at the feet that came with your machine wondering what on earth each one was for? I know I have. Sewing Machine Feet From A to Z goes over the 11 most common feet for sewing machines. From the button hole, to the zipper foot, to the blind hem and rolled hem and more.
10. Mastering Zipper Techniques
Wanting to make a few zippered pouches as gifts this year but lack zipper skills? Take the free mini class Mastering Zipper Techniques and fear zippers no longer.
Most of these free classes would just take you one or two evenings to complete or a afternoon on the weekend. All the free mini classes come with a supply list, and you can view each one more than once if you need to. You need to be a craftsy member to take a free mini class but it costs nothing to sign up.
My problem is deciding which one to take first.
All my Thrifty Christmas Tips in one place.
Available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon–get your copy here!
Get snail-e-mail in your inbox each week!
Thanks Victoria for all your work on sleuthing out these free classes. So much variety! I especially like number four, the card one, as I love sending cards at any time of the year. And so much more meaningful if they are handmade.
Yes, I agree. I love receiving handmade Christmas cards in the mail.
I love your suggestions for photography! Any possible way to save money is incredibly helpful!
These are such great ideas! I used to love Craftsy, but then I kind of forgot about them for a while. Great list! (Found you on Mom 2 Mom)
This is neat! I never knew these videos existed. I think I am going to check out the card making class. I love sending homemade cards.
Visiting from Frugal Friday Linky Party.
I can never get enough of free Craftsy classes. I hadn’t checked in quite awhile though and had no idea that some of these were available now. Thank you so much for putting this list together!