Sievers School of Fiber Arts

Learn, refresh and reflect

Stories

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Each hand crafted piece has a story and the pieces made in last week’s Navajo Rug Weaving class and Open Quilt Studio all have their own stories. The reason for the choice of colors and design, who it may be given to and why, what it will remind the maker of each time they see it or what was happening around them during the process are all parts of the story.

We have a story for you, too. Once upon a time, a group of people met at Sievers School for a Navajo Rug Weaving class with Betty Glynn Carlson. They started by warping the Navajo looms and choosing colors and designs that were to be the words of the story they wanted to tell through their weaving.

One day, the Navajo rug weavers decided to take a walk along a path that went past a big barn. They came to a place that had several ladies inside sewing. They took a peek inside and this is some of what they saw:

(Note the t-shirt, “World’s Okayest Quilter”.)

All the weavers and all the quilters worked very hard to make beautiful things and will continue to do so happily ever after.

We have two of our own Sievers stories to share as well, from quilters here this past week. First, from Kelly K., “The first time I came to Sievers was in 1998 when I was five months pregnant with my son. I remember walking into the store and being greeted by Ann and Cindra like I was a long-lost friend. At that moment, I knew I would be back again and again. I took a quilting class with Marianne Fons. In that class, I made my son’s baby quilt. I fell in love with Sievers and that trip was the first of many”. (The quilt Kelly made in last year’s Quilt Studio turned out to be this year’s brochure cover.)

Then, from Ruth M., “In 1980 I made my first trip to Washington Island. Having sewn for years and been introduced to weaving just a few years earlier, when I saw Sievers on the Island map, I knew it was a place I wanted to visit. Unfortunately, Sievers was closed that day.” (Note: In the early years, Sievers was not open on Saturday afternoon or Sunday.) “I peered in the window next to the visitor’s entrance and Walter (Schutz) saw me. He invited me in and told me about the loom business and the school. My first class was in 1981 and since then I’ve taken 20+ classes. There is still excitement, yet familiarity when I come to the Island and to Sievers. It is a special place.”

The end.

Comments

  1. Such beautiful work! Both classes look like a lot of fun and the island and the ladies at Siever’s always make it special. It is truly a little heaven on earth. Thanks for sharing the stories.

  2. What colorful and exciting results from both workshops. Enjoyed your stories as well. Thank you Carolyn!

  3. We had a wonderful time in Betty’s class. The class was very compatible and somehow, Betty was always there to help. It was great!

  4. Carolyn, Your pictures are art themselves. I tried to save the picture you took of me to put on my Facebook cover, but couldn’t. Could you send it to me digitally? Somehow you made my struggle laying that quilt out look elegant. Thanks so much!