UPDATE:

Things have been up and down with the company that used to be known as “Craftsy.” As of the summer of 2020, NBC Universal, (the company who bought Craftsy and renamed it first “Craftsy Unlimited” and then “Bluprint,”) decided to close down, fire everyone, and abandon former customers who had been promised “forever classes” from Craftsy. However, at the beginning of July, 2020, it was announced that all of the Bluprint assets had been purchased by TN Marketing. This is great news, since they plan to keep access to all classes purchased by previous customers of Bluprint, Craftsy Unlimited, and Craftsy. I’ll be sure to let you all know as we hear further from TN Marketing about the future of Craftsy.

— Kelley, 7/31/2020

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(Or should I say, “What is My Blueprint?” I have no idea why they spelled it that way.)

Well, What Is It?

My Bluprint is the online craft classroom platform originally named “Craftsy.” The company went through some reorganization, became a subscription based all-classes access included platform, and changed its name when it was bought out.

If you bought classes on Craftsy, they’re still there for you on BluPrint. The “Sign In” button is on the upper right corner of the page, with all the usual help if you forgot your username or password.

Click on the handy-dandy picture below, and it’ll take you there:

Was There Some Bad Press About BluPrint?

Yes, there was. It was about Bluprint not making it clear to customers that teachers were not obligated to answer their questions anymore, after the change in owndership. In fact, Blueprint didn’t pass on the emailed questions that students were sending in, and hit the teachers up one day with a year’s worth of accumulated student questions. Customers were hatin’ on those poor teachers for not answering their questions, and the teachers were hatin’ on Bluprint for putting them in the position of looking like the bad guys. Bad communication, but not all that surprising since the new owners had a different vision for the classes.

One of the really innovative things about the old Craftsy platform was the way the students could interact with other students and with the instructor, much like taking a class in person. Other online classes hadn’t really offered that kind of interaction. When the company changed hands, though, that part of the platform didn’t really transfer. The old classes are still there, and still supported, but they’re more like a pre-recorded class than like a webinar now. Any new videos are more like DIY TV segments in flavor. (Not surprising, since the new owner is NBC Universal.)

Why I Still Recommend BluPrint

First of all, there are some really amazing classes on the platform, and access to them is cheaper and easier than ever. You may not be able to ask your teacher questions, but you can still take their fantastic classes. (Some of the teachers still do, I understand. Answer questions, that is. A lot of them originally taught on Craftsy because it was so cool to be a part of that interactive relationship with online students.)

If you’re interested in any kind of fiber art, needlecraft, quilting, cooking, woodworking, or jewelry making, you really need to check them out. I spent my whole weekend a couple of weeks ago taking every Mixed Media course they offered. Got out all the goodies– paint and tools and dyes and inks– and rubber gloves! I have been kind of obsessed by Carol Nelson’s work. She’s an extraordinary Mixed Media artist, and a very fine teacher. She comes across as the nice lady across the street, showing you her garden. She just has an easy, kind, and encouraging way of communicating.

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The second reason I recommend Bluprint is for the great deals on materials. It’s interesting that a tv station purchased the company, but they are moving their emphasis from the information of classes and really pushing the sales of craft supplies online. They offer great sales, and once you are a Bluprint subscriber, you get regular email offers from them.

If you’re interested in trying a new craft, you can take as many classes as you like from some of the best teachers in the business, without paying anything extra per class. Then, you can purchase a kit filled with the materials for trying your new hobby!

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The third reason I still highly recommend BluPrint? Omigosh, the price! They offer a subscription rate of $7.99 a month or $79.99 a year, with unlimited access to ALL CLASSES, plus new articles and videos all the time. They’ve added some fitness classes to the old Craftsy craft classes, too.

And… look out for sales! Considering the original Craftsy classes cost as much as $100 each, the yearly subscription is already pretty amazing. But when these guys have a sale, they’re serious about their discounts!

I’m writing this article during Thanksgiving week, because I just learned they are offering a HALF PRICE SALE for Black Friday!

Peeps, this is unbeatable! Just $39.99 for a year of unlimited access to a wealth of information. Anyone who was buying classes from Craftsy will remember that a single class was often twice that price.