About Us
Our Mission
The ORD Academy (The Academy) is the 501(c)3 non profit parent company to CraftAcademy.org. Our mission is to teach sewing and crafting skills to children and adults with the goal of youth and personal development through the soft skills naturally acquired in these art forms. CraftAcademy.org allows this mission to reach people who may not have traditional lessons in their area or need the convenience of a virtual setting. Our online presence and wide range of crafting categories makes it very convenient for you to learn these skills and join our community of creators.
Our community is full of knowledgeable teachers, who have years of experience in the sewing and crafting industries. They are well versed in teaching beginners, intermediate and advanced students. We teach sewing, crocheting, knitting, quilting and embroidery. You learn from personalized plans to help you achieve your goals. You can book our instructors for private classes from the comfort of home. The best part of CraftAcademy.org is the ability to learn at your own pace. Book a tutor today to see how easy it is to learn online.
We love the community we are in and encourage you to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and sign up for our email list to receive surprises.
The process is very simple, you get to choose the skill you want to learn, find a private teacher available when you are and book. We recommend staying consistent with the same teacher until you reach your goals. Once you leave the beginner phase, check out our webinars!
Crafting. Anytime. Anywhere.
Who Should take Classes
- We recommend starting these classes for your child at age 10, however, if your child is younger than 10 make sure you attend class with them to help them understand the material.
- If you purchased a sewing machine years ago (that has still not been used).
- If you watch youtube tutorials and want personalized help.
- If you are a man who wants to create or alter his own clothes
- You like creating and using your hands to make things.
- You have constant alterations that need to be made on your clothes.
- You need a relaxing hobby.
- You think shopping is difficult because you want more unique options.
- If you want to learn these skills or give these skills to another person.
- If you are interested in upcycling your garments.
FAQ
Do I need a sewing machine?
If you are taking the private sewing, quilting, or embroidery classes make sure you have the materials needed to hand sew and mention this to your teacher upon the start of class.
As for the webinars, check the requirements for each webinar class (some do not require sewing machines).
How long do the beginners' curriculums take to complete?
The beginners curriculums are designed to take 5-7 one hour classes. We recommend taking one class per week and practicing what you learn in between classes. For your convenience, you can schedule a recurring class with the same teacher to get through the curriculum.
What supplies do I need for my first private class?
The responses below are suitable for complete beginners who plan to follow our beginners curriculum.
For sewing:
Sewing machine *if applicable*
Fabric shears
At least 1 yard of cotton fabric
Quilting:
Sewing machine *if applicable*
Fabric shears
At least 2 different cotton fabrics
Embroidery:
Embroidery machine *if applicable*
Fabric shears
Interfacing
Crocheting:
Crochet hook set
Yarn
Knitting:
Knitting needles
Yarn
How do the classes operate?
Our 1-on-1 classes are led by each teacher. The first 5-10 in your first class are spent developing a plan of action to help you achieve your specific goals. Each student is different and the great thing about our format is that we adapt to your individual needs. If you need one lesson to learn a specific skill, we will help you. Likewise, if you are a complete beginner and need a curriculum to learn the most basic skills, we have a plan for you as well. We achieve as much as possible during class and will give you tasks to complete on your own to continue developing your skills. The projects will increase in difficulty at your pace and we make sure you leave class with a thorough understanding of how to create them.
What if I need to cancel or reschedule?
As a courtesy to your teacher we require that you reschedule at least 1 day in advance. Webinars can not be rescheduled by students and everyone who enrolls will have access to the recording for 60 days after the live session.
What is your refund policy?
We do not offer refunds for canceled classes. You may reschedule your class at least 24 hours in advance if needed.
Do you offer financial assistance?
Yes, we offer financial assistance on a rolling basis depending on the funds available to our organization. To apply for financial assistance fill out the form here.
Tell me more about your webinars.
e love the webinars!! They are so convenient and a great way to meet new people while completing a new project. The goal of each webinar, unless it’s a series, is to complete a project. Our webinars have different skill and material requirements so please read the descriptions carefully to make sure you will be successful. You will have access to the webinar recording for 60 days after it ends to continue practicing your skills.
Please note: teachers build in learning 1-2 new skills in each webinar so the skill requirements are to make sure you are at the level needed to pick up the new skills and not spend too much time going over old ones.
Where are these classes hosted?
We host our classes via Google Meet.
I want to switch skills, do I need to switch teachers?
Yes, our teachers teach what they specialize in.
What is the minimum age for classes?
Children under the age of 10 are not allowed to attend a class without a parent or guardian present to help facilitate.
Want To Teach People All Over The World?
Apply to teach with us. If you are an experienced sewist or crafter we want to help you earn additional income doing what you love. As a non-profit it is important for us to create opportunities for you to teach at your pace and within your schedule! Are you personable? Are you passionate about creating and able to adapt to an online teaching environment? If so, this is the perfect “side-hustle” for you.