Learning and making

Lynn Stracka Schuster guided several new basketmakers in her recent Covered Coiling Basket class. When travelling down a new path of learning, it’s good to have an experienced guide, and Lynn is that and more. This is her 40th year of teaching at Sievers. Lynn likes to tell the story of finding a notice about Sievers while studying art in college and realizing it was in Door County, a family vacation spot. A short time later, after graduating, she paid Walter Schutz a visit and he said that although the schedule for the season was set ( this was in 1980), he would call her about next year. He did and her first class in 1981 was titled “Felting Fibers”. Since then she’s taught more felting, weaving (Beginning Weaving, Home Furnishings and Boundweave), beadwork, silk ribbon embroidery and coiled basketry. In 2018, we determined Lynn had offered 90 classes at Sievers. Amazing!

In her coiled basket class, students use one continuous, round length of core material and cover it with silk, wool, cotton, or novelty yarns. Some used their own or purchased handspun for their baskets. Winding the covered, coiled material around and on top of itself, each maker creates the desired shape of their basket and later, embellishments can be added. Each basket tells a story.

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Our makers of quilts were so enthusiastic about coming for the August 10-15 Open Quilt Studio, a long waiting list developed. Since we had space in the Walter Studio later in August, we were able to create an additional studio time. Here are some of the quilts they were working on…

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Beginning Weaving is definitely a learning adventure and Nancy Frantz patiently leads new weavers through each of the steps in a three-day weaving class. Their weaving journey begins with a sampler piece that includes a number of patterns and lets each student experience many of the pathways and possibilities waiting for them. For 36 years, Nancy has shared her love of weaving with students, with half of those years here at Sievers.

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Thanks to our wonderful instructors, including Lynn and Nancy, there are many more learning and making adventures for the rest of this season at Sievers and beyond!