Using materials at hand was the focus of the weaving students in Judie Yamamoto’s “Busting the Stash” class as was building a Bent Willow Chair with Ken Workowski, our last two classes in September.
Finding a new purpose for leftovers and yarns that one never seems to know what to do with, resulted in fresh discoveries.
Brainstorming, yarn swaps, working with color and texture, creating new combinations and moving out of the comfort zone made everything old, new again!
Re-purposing natural materials is essential in building a Bent Willow Chair. Ken and Michelle’s business, The Nature of Things, showcases their craftsmanship in using natural and sustainable materials. They diligently seek out and prepare the correct size and length willow so that students can begin constructing the chair’s base in the first afternoon of class.
Extra-diligent could describe the twelve students in class, as the chairs were complete on Saturday night…a first! Ken and Michelle’s guidance and student teams working together made for a fast-paced, energetic working studio, never mind the hammering, sawing and drilling! In the end, only scraps were left and even they were reclaimed by the students for other projects.
From the chair-making class and from many others, Cheena W. shared her “Sievers Story” by writing, “About 20 some years ago, I read about Sievers in a magazine. I was intrigued about weaving on an island. Step forward about 25 years and a friend sold me a loom. I didn’t know how to weave, but I remembered the name “Sievers”. I discovered it was in Wisconsin. In no time, I signed up for Beginning Weaving. I was mesmerized by the island! Eventually, my husband and I bought a place for weekends. In two more years, we bought a home and relocated. It was one of the best decisions we ever made! Sievers changed our life!”
Reclaim and re-purpose materials around you, renew and reprise ideas or plans…it’s refreshing!
