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Craftsy Offering 45 Days of Free Classes

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I’ve been writing about the news surrounding Bluprint/Craftsy and its new owners for a while now, so it seems like it’s time for an update on the next chapter.

Quick recap: back in May, NBCUniversal, which had purchased the online crafts education platform Craftsy back in 2017 and renamed it Bluprint was planning to shut it down. Then in July, TN Marketing, which runs several craft themed educational websites, said it would be buying certain assets of Bluprint and revamping the site again, changing the name back to Craftsy.

That change has now happened, and to celebrate the company is allowing free access to all classes for 45 days. (I assume this is the same as when Bluprint did it that you can watch the classes but not access downloads such as patterns).

A monthly membership, which allows you to access unlimited classes, will run $7.99 a month or $79.99 when you purchase a year’s access. You can also purchase individual classes. I looked at the knitting classes and it looks like they range from $4.99 to $39.99 depending on the length and complexity of the class.

People who had membership to Bluprint or had purchased Craftsy classes in the past can access the free membership by using the email associated with their account to change their password. The company notes that people who have purchased classes cannot access them through their accounts right now but they can stream them as part of the free access.

I signed into my account and it looks like I have a premium membership through Oct. 16. As mentioned above I cannot see classes I bought previously, but it does look like this premium access allows you to stream classes as well as download patterns, unlike when Bluprint had free streaming earlier this year. I did not give them credit card information so I assume at the end of the free period I will go back to not having a membership but at some point will be able to access those classes I purchased. I will continue to update as things change.

What do you think of this new change? Are you going to give the new Craftsy a(nother) chance? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Comments

  1. I always enjoyed Craftsy. Glad they switched the name back, most crafts people can relate to that name rather than Blueprint. I like the idea best to just buy what classes I am interested in.

  2. I had several classes in my library. I hope I will be able to access them. If I can’t, I will be reluctant to purchase any others.

  3. I purchased several classes through craftsy which were supposed to be mine to own forever and then I became an annual member and used the membership frequently and was given several free own forever classes which I took advantage of. Now it appears that I cannot access any of that which makes me very reluctant to join again. What is the deal with this. I was charged $150.00 to renew my membership in a company that no longer existed but did complain and get my money back. I am really frustrated and confused.

Have you read?

Book Review: Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit & Crochet Blankets

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four. 

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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