October on Washington Island is definitely a favorite! We can never get enough of the cool, crisp days and colorful woodland views. This year it seems the leaves have glowed more vibrantly and lasted longer than usual. We have savored every moment. In these last few weeks, our studios were rented two separate times. Besides working on weaving, quilting and other projects, relaxation and exploration were part of each day. Soon, more of the leaves will be on the ground than in the trees. We’re seeing the transition already as we begin this last week of October and the last week of our 2020 season. Another plus this time of year are later sunrises. We’ll savor these, too!
Knitting and fall colors
The first week or so of October has traditionally been the time when the Creative Knitting Retreat class with Sandy De Master and Mary Germain is scheduled, along with the Open Knit Studio time. As it turns out, this year was no different…except in many ways. Each group was small in numbers (but not in projects!), with plenty of distance within the studios. The usual non-knitting activities like the fashion show, group dinners and attendance at Columbus Day weekend events around the island were put on hold for another time. We missed seeing so many of our friends, as we have throughout the season, but know that we will see you all again when the time is right. While the […]
Stashes
The subject of stashes (yarns, fabrics, books, fiber art tools and/or supplies) is a common topic of conversation among fiber artists. This year, more than most, we’re guessing the stashes out there were used (at least partially…), sorted through, organized, admired or donated due to the fact that we’ve all been spending more time at home than usual. This year and last, Sievers has had a class for weavers to specifically “bust the stash”, taught by Judie Yamamoto. During the last week in September, the four students in class were able to create new combinations with yarns from their stashes, including using these hand-dyed wools. If the definition of stash is to hide away or store in a secret place, […]
Fall colors and studio time
Every day the trees are increasingly “showing their stuff” and both we (and the wildlife) are enjoying the changing views! The fall color report indicates Door County currently at 5% with the third week of October expected to be the peak of color. We recently had a small group of quilters rent the Walter Studio for a week. As always, they brought several projects to start, to complete or to bring closer to completion. It always feels best when there is activity in the studio! With several October classes cancelled, we are still offering studio rentals with availability in the Walter […]
September
September… not quite summer and not quite fall. It’s one of those in-between months that gives the best of both seasons and we often wish it would last a little longer than it does. Re-scheduled to Saturday, September 12, Local Yarn Store Day was created by a committee of shop owners and yarn manufacturers to celebrate brick and mortar yarn shops. They note, “contrary to popular belief, the majority of yarn is purchased through local brick and mortar shops…”. As a local yarn shop, we started small, but have expanded our weaving and knitting yarns over time and in particular since 1996 when classes moved from what is now the shop into the (then newly-built) Sophie Studio. […]
Sievers Pop-Up Shop #5: The Hidden Items
We are lucky to have a lot of space in the Sievers Shop to feature so many beautiful handmade items from our students and teachers along with yarns, books and other fiber art goodies. In addition, we’ve got quite a few things which are pretty much hidden or cleverly tucked away from view. One of those spots is underneath the stairs that goes to the loft in the shop. Here we have Schacht Inkle Looms ($89), a cherry loom bench ($125), a Sievers cone and tube holder ($45), loom shelf ($90) and sets of two threading blocks ($20). Stacked on shelves, upstairs and down, are many silk, cotton and rayon fabrics available by the yard and as scarves of […]
August classes and beyond
For the month of August, two classes were able to be held and like last time, one was quilting (Open Quilt Studio) and the other was knitting with Mary Germain, Baltic Knitting Extravaganza. With good weather, the knitters were able to spend most of the time in the lawn outside of the Sophie Studio. With a limited number of quilters, tables and machines were spaced at more than the recommended distance. As always, each quilter brought several projects to start, finish and/or show. Some quilts in progress represented more of a traditional look and some had a modern approach. The quilt on the right is a “deconstructed” Washington Island. Note the white dots along the north shore representing Schoolhouse Beach […]
Sievers Pop-Up Shop #4 : Handwoven and home
We’ve all been spending more time at home these days, so it seemed natural to focus this pop-up shop on items for the home, including a number of handwovens. This cozy, Scandinavian-inspired throw with a soft-as-a-cloud fleece backing is made of wool and cotton and is priced at $175. The display basket is $125. If dining out has turned into dining in, why not make it special with a beautiful table? There’s nothing like a handwoven rug to create a real feeling of homeyness. Whether they are made using llama fiber… …or cotton fabrics ( “rags” isn’t the right term to use for these rugs) to create just the right design, a custom rug can set the tone in any […]
