This story is part of our Back to School series. To see more stories like this, check out our Home Ec curriculum.

Just because you are staying home, doesn’t mean that you can’t learn a new skill. Here is a look at some of the local businesses and organizations that are offering DIY classes online.

Sewing

Cut and Sew Sewing and Design Studio in Morningside offers in-person classes with a smaller class enrollment and mask protocols, but we want to highlight their wide range of virtual classes for both novice and experienced sewists.

Wanna make some cozy pants for your WFH wardrobe? Take this class from Maeve Blessing of @maeve.makes.

Quilting

Need a portable project for your socially distant park and backyard hangs? We recommend keeping an eye out for the next installment of English Paper Piecing.

And ICYMI, this week’s episode of our podcast features Julie Zaichuk-Ryan of South Atlantic Stitching Company. She is a frequent Cut and Sew instructor. What better time to move from mask making to quilt making than right now? You’ll end up with something cozy before Christmas.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDCa9SqH4PO/

Gardening, plants and holiday decor with Phipps Conservatory

We’re all spending more time in our homes, so why not learn some decorating skills? Phipps Conservatory has a huge list of virtual classes and their schedule is already listed to the beginning of December. Sign up early for their “Deck the Halls” series and you can learn how to make a better bow for your wreaths, perfect your table centerpieces, and make the best outdoor holiday displays on your block. You can also sign up for a single class (my vote is the lunchtime bow making class. Seriously, I still have my mom tie every decorative bow I need). Holidays not your thing? Keep in mind their full class list has cooking classes, plant classes, and art options.

Millvale Tool Library

This isn’t really a class but rather a suggestion for getting your hands on some tools, sort of like a loaner version of your high school shop class. The Millvale Community Library’s Tool Library currently offers curbside pickup of tools you can borrow to complete a specific “pandemic project” on your home improvement to-do list. The program is free for Millvale residents, but the library asks for a donation for non-residents in order to build and maintain the share program. The Millvale Community Library also recently offered an Auto 101: Maintenance and Repair workshop and they have a pantry box construction class on their calendar for September, so follow them on Facebook for updates.

Find more DIY Classes at Workshop PGH

No class roundup would be complete without a mention of Workshop PGH. The DIY school is currently on hiatus as they move locations, but will be opening mid-September with some virtual class options. To stay in the loop, follow them on Instagram. While exact details of classes have yet to be announced, I took the roving/weaving class over a year ago, and I still have this hanging on my living room wall.

Friends have made jewelry, leather tote bags, and shibori dyed all the things. Wanna learn more about Workshop owner Kelly Malone? Read this early-pandemic coverage of how her business was affected by COVID in the City Paper. From free masks on their shop windows to fundraisers for their neighbors, Malone and the Workshop team have made it a point to help our community for the past seven months.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDcANmCjNQ1/

Knit and crochet

If you are looking to cast on a new knitting project, we’ve put together a list of Pittsburgh yarn shops and all of these local shops offer online shopping too.

📸 Header photo credit:  Julie Zaichuk-Ryan.