E-Course FAQs

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What’s an e-course?

E-courses are online classes designed to tackle a particular topic through a combination of blog posts, audio, video, downloads, and participant comments.  They’re a great opportunity to learn new skills and be part of a very cool community when you can’t get to a class in person!

When do e-courses meet?

Many Whipstitch e-courses meet during set periods of time (usually in five-week blocks), but because of the blog-post format, you’re free to join in at your convenience!  It’s best to participate in real-time, but you won’t need to be in front of your computer for a certain hour or on a particular day in order to be part of the whole exciting thing.

Some e-courses, like Essential Sewing and Essential Quilting, are designed to be beginner-friendly, and are available on an on-going basis.  This means you can start any time and work at your own pace.  You won’t be part of a “class” working at the same time as you, but you’ll still get one-on-one interaction with me, access to all the class materials for as long as you want, and you’ll be able to join in on another e-course as soon as you’ve completed these beginner classes!

Will I need a sewing machine?

For sewing e-courses, it’s assumed that you have your own sewing machine and basic sewing kit.  The Essential Sewing class goes into more detail about what tools are considered part of a basic sewing kit, and each e-course participant receives an email welcome letter listing any special supplies needed for a particular course.

Do I have to be a sewing expert?  I’m still pretty much a beginner.

The sewing e-courses assume you have basic sewing knowledge and can thread your machine, wind a bobbin, and stitch a straight line–with the exception of Essential Sewing, which covers even these super basics.  Outside of that, all the sewing know-how is built into the class so that you can jump in, even as a beginner, and learn new skills!  All e-courses are open to anyone, regardless of skill, but if you’re at all uncertain about whether a class is right for you, email me and I’m happy to walk you through it.

Are these classes only for beginners?  I’ve been sewing for a while, and don’t want to get stuck in a class that’s not challenging.

Not at all!  I offer courses throughout the year that are designed for all skill levels, all the way up to advanced and expert.  Even the Essential Sewing and Essential Quilting classes are designed to include both basic skills and more challenging content–in fact, I recommend those classes to anyone who hasn’t taken a formal sewing class before, so that they have the chance to fill in gaps in their knowledge and skill set.  Other classes are specialty courses, intended to cover a particular topic in-depth and allow folks who have gone beyond the basics or who have completed the Essential Sewing class to practice new techniques.  Special topics courses change each year, and are offered only once–register when you have the chance, because they might not come back around again!  If you’re looking for a more advanced topic and don’t see it listed, email me by writing deborah (at) whipstitchfabrics (dot) com and I’m happy to talk it over with you–you never know when your idea might become the next Whipstitch online class!

Are supplies provided?

You will provide your own fabric and supplies during the e-course, although for some courses, kits will be available; I’ll alert each class to kit availability through the class web page and direct emails.

Can I access the course content after the class is over?

Yes, but with the exception of Essential Sewing, Essential Quilting and Happy Handmade Holidays, e-course content can be accessed only for a limited time!  Most courses leave content available online for up to eight weeks after the class ends to allow you the chance to grab all the downloads, catch up on parts you missed, review new comments and responses, and review the material.  The deadline to view materials will be included in the class content.

Will you offer e-course content for download as an e-book?

At this time, there are no plans to format the content as an e-book.  I’m working on adding more e-course titles and have plenty of other irons in the fire, so I’m not working on putting these classes together in any printed format right now.  I’d much rather have you join the community and benefit from the interaction!

What is the refund policy on e-courses?

All e-course purchases are made via PayPal.  Once payment goes through, login information is emailed to the PayPal email account on record (usually 1-2 weeks before the course begins).  If you determine that you’re unable to join the e-course and would like a refund, or you registered in error, I am only able to refund PRIOR to your receipt of the login information.  Once the welcome email with the password and site access information has been emailed, all e-course sales are final.  Thanks so much for understanding!

Can we suggest or request particular e-course titles and topics?

Certainly!  Simply email your ideas or requests to deborah (at) whipstitchfabrics (dot) com and I’m happy to accommodate whenever possible.  I can’t offer every topic, but hearing from you lets me know when there are a bunch of people interested in the same idea, and I’m a lot more likely to plan a course based on group interest.

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