Two classes bridged the gap from summer to fall last week. To begin with, what a pleasure it was to watch new weavers create a finished piece, placing thread by thread through the loom. In our last Beginning Weaving on a Floor Loom class of 2023, taught by Nancy Adams and her assistant, Susan Johnson, some students went beyond the expected by weaving as many as three projects, including table runners and scarves.
So many lovely choices, suitable for beginners, were on display for students to choose from. The looms were in motion from the very start.
And so were the instructors! There’s an extra level of patience and helpfulness in all of our beginning weaving teachers. Nancy and Susan are no exception to that.
As we’ve said several times before, Beginning Weaving is where Sievers started, especially using the Sievers Loom. Before the Sophie Studio was built in 1996, looms were stored on the back side of the Sievers Shop and when weaving classes were held in the barn studio, they would be loaded up onto the back of a pickup truck, along with weaving supplies, and transported across the road. It worked, but we like the current arrangement much better.
The woven piece shown below in the center will be used as a background fabric for artful embroidery work. Beyond expectation, indeed!
The companion class, Woodcarving: Woodpecker or Walking Stick with Jerry Landwehr, was a chance to create using another fiber (wood) by carving either a Pileated Woodpecker from a wooden blank, a face into a walking stick, or another project.
Many of these students also went beyond expectations and carved out time for more than one project. Like all classes, seeing the materials, equipment and tools joined with the work of the students’ hands is inspiring.
As these classes ended, so did the last official day of summer. It’s time to embrace the coming fall season and one of our most favorite times of the year!
I have always loved the Fall Season on the Island, with its cool, crisp breezes, smell of wood smoke in the evening, days with bright sunlight filtering through the glorious, vibrant colors of the changing leaves, walks on School House Beach wrapped in sweaters and scarves of soft, fragrant wool; carmel apples and bread baked in the stone oven at the Farm Museum, Turkey Harvest Dinner, made and served by Islanders at Trinity Church , a quieter Island and wonderful, relaxing classes at Sievers with amazing Staff
Teachers, and the Students who become lifelong friends !
What a wonderful note, Barbara! Those are all some of what makes fall our favorite season, too. Warm sunshine, colorful trees and cozy evenings. We plan to take it all in! Miss you, Carolyn, Ann and Cindra
Thanks for including some of my work in the photos! I am already putting things I learned to use in my home studio. LOVED my class experience!
Thanks, Ann! It was a pleasure meeting you and your work was beautiful and creative!