This age-old proverb usually isn’t associated with classes at Sievers, but it seemed fitting for the pair of classes held last week, Beginning Weaving on a Floor Loom with Susan Frame and Shibori and Indigo Dyeing with Anne Landre.
Learning to weave on a floor loom certainly represents something old, or in more meaningful words, a continuity from the past. As you probably know, Sievers all started with looms and weaving.
At the start of Susan’s class, Ann shared one of the first ads for Walter Schutz’s plan sheets for a table-sized Sievers Loom from the Fall/Winter 1974-75 McCall’s Needlework & Crafts magazine. Some of the many addresses Walter used for McCall’s ads were: Box 5M, Fifth Avenue, North Bay, Box 5-N, South Bay, Box 5N, Box 5-P and Box 5-C. He could track the response to the different ads by the distinctive address. Other magazines had a different suite of addresses. Of course, none of these are real Washington Island addresses. As long as you have the 54246 zip code on the envelope, the island post office can generally still get it to the right person or place.
On to the new, where we find ourselves with Susan’s beginning students using the newest type of loom in our studio, the Schacht 8-harness Baby Wolf.
In Anne Landre’s Shibori and Indigo Dyeing class, students borrowed a variety of shapes, clamps and more to create the indigo-resist designs on fabrics for samples, scarves, accessories or garments. Dyed with indigo and wrapped, stitched or folded, something beautifully blue was everywhere.
Never old, always new – Washington Island, “You’re my blue sky, you’re my sunny day”.
Love the indigo. Wish I’d been there. Beautiful work.
Hi Jayne, Indigo is special…who doesn’t love blue? We hope it works out for you next time! See you later this summer, Carolyn
Love the indigo designs! Great job, students!
Thanks, Janet! We’re sorry it didn’t work out this year, but look for Anne to offer dyeing classes again in 2025. Hope to see you sometime this summer! Carolyn
Such fun projects on the looms.
Hi Mary, Susan does a great job of choosing first weaving sample projects for her students. They learn so much and go home with handwoven treasures! See you later this year! Carolyn
I think I will consider both classes for 2025. They look wonderful! Fran
Hi Fran, That sounds like a great idea! We’re looking forward to seeing you later this year, Carolyn