Sievers and Washington Island have recently been mentioned in several media formats, starting with this book, Small-Town Wisconsin. The book covers towns and villiages with populations of under 5,000 and twenty of the fifty places featured have a population of under 1,000. In the introduction, the author writes, “This book features fifty examples of destinations with something significant in their character that defines and enriches their location.”
We were pleasantly surprised to see Sievers as the featured story for the piece about Washington Island. The 195-page book has lots of interesting stories and many color photos. We have this book for sale in our shop at $27.95. If you would like a copy, please use our Contact Us page to safely order using a credit card.
Deb Jones’ Rigid Heddle Weaving class in July was the source of two online media features. First, in her post from The Fiber Garden, Deb shared a video and wrote, “Experience our recent week of rigid heddle weaving exploring color at Sievers on beautiful Washington Island in Door County, Wisconsin. Weaving, dinners together at quaint Island restaurants, and even daily calisthenics (memories from the 1960’s!) left us with many special memories! Enjoy!”
We expect watching this YouTube video will make you feel as you were part of the group. Thank you, Deb, for sharing such a great class with all of us!
Second, a student in the very same Rigid Heddle Weaving class, Mary Lou, shared her Sievers and Washington Island experience through the weekly Modern Daily Knitting, “You’ve Got Snippets” blog, published Saturday, August 12.
Here’s the direct link to her blog post:
Some of her thoughts are re-posted below. Thanks, Mary Lou, for sharing your thoughts and photos!
“Happiness is in your hands and it keeps you young.”
That’s a quote from Walter Schutz who with his wife Sophie Sievers Schutz established Sievers School of Fiber Arts where the workshops are top-notch. The school evolved from one class room in 1979 to two light-filled studios and a dormitory to house workshop participants.
Sievers Store, the island’s yarn shop, is in a former one-room schoolhouse. Dating to 1890, it still has some original light fixtures. This is not your average resort-town shop. It has a stunning selection of yarns, both commercial and handspun, as well as knitting, spinning and weaving books and accessories.
Beautiful and serene, the island has spotty cell service and scarce Wi-Fi, which helped it feel like a place out of time to this city dweller. I know I’ll be back!
An article dated August 24 in the New York Times titled “A Speck of Old Iceland in Ice-Cold Lake Michigan” was recently shared online. (Note: If this link doesn’t allow for free access, try your own internet search.) No mention of Sievers, but thanks to Annie for the mention of meeting fellow knitters here each fall in your comment on the article!
In the Fall of 1984, Walter Schutz produced a small booklet titled “What people are saying about Washington Island, Wisconsin”. It included random statements taken off the class evaluation sheets returned by students. He said, “This book is intended for those who live on the Island and those who have a special place in their hearts for all the splendid blessings the Island offers. Just read what these persons are saying. I hope that what you see here will bring back or at least reinforce your appreciation for this unique place. I hope too that it will help you regard the Island with more reverence, help maintain its rustic, unspoiled atmosphere and above all help keep it, as much as possible, the sort of place it is.”
Here were some of the comments:
“I truly enjoy the Island – NO, it is not too quiet – the time flew while there and it was difficult to accept the trip back to the mainland – time went too fast.”
“The Island was wonderful – I hope it never changes.”
“I was sufficiently impressed with how it (the Island) has retained the flow of ‘Door County in the fifties’, that on my next trip…I will plan…to thoroughly enjoy the beauty and quiet.”
“I like the Island very much, it’s beautiful. I’m glad it’s a slow-paced way of life. I enjoyed the quiet very much, it’s never too quiet.”
“I loved the beauty of the Island from the rocky shores to the wildflowers, to the deer and the woods and the fields.”
“My feelings and thoughts are Washington Island is that it is pure heaven.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed the rural, quiet atmosphere of the Island.”
“The Island and its people were delightful, but my attention was drawn to the stars in the heaves overhead. I would gladly spend a summer just looked at the skies with its meteors, sunset and sunrise colors and the constellations following their prescribed orbits.”
“I like to think of Washington Island as the perfect place to be. I enjoy peace and quiet, trees and wildlife, and the company of warm and considerate people.”
“I love the Island! It’s so peaceful and quiet. The Island people are very friendly. After I leave the Island I feel refreshed and I go back with a better outlook on everything.”
“A Magical Place” was the title of a 1988 Sievers flyer in which Walter wrote, “There is no other place just like this. Washington Island is a gem-like green island, ‘north of the tension line’. It wraps the serenity of its friendly atmosphere, security and surroundings around you…”.
When we think of Washington Island, it’s primarily about the community located within our beautiful natural environment. It’s scenes like these that capture the feeling of home.
It’s hard to keep Washington Island a secret. We appreciate all that our teachers and students do to maintain the character and essence of our Island home and want to “help keep it, as much as possible, the sort of place it is.” Thank you for having a special place in your heart for Washington Island!
Loved this!
Thanks, Becky!
The current press is nice, but Walter’s words ring true more than ever!
Take care,
Carolyn
A friend who subscribes to the New York Times, sent me the article “A Speck of Old Iceland in Ice-Lake Michigan”. I responded back to the friend, “now you know why I love Washington Island” – it was truly an enjoyable read.
Hi Linda,
We thought it was a good article, too. Nice they touched on a few other Island things other than what’s usually mentioned.
Take care and we miss you,
Carolyn
Beautiful…descriptions and articles enable me to be ‘there’.
Hi Judith,
Thank you so much for your nice comment and for the feeling that we’ve brought the Island to you! Looking back, you first took a class in 1980 – the 2nd year of Sievers. We’re glad you can stay in touch with us in this way.
Take care,
Carolyn