Willow is a favorite at Sievers, in many ways. This past weekend, it was used by students to make Bent Willow Chairs with instructor, John Rezachek. Although this furniture-type willow was sourced elsewhere in Wisconsin for the class, Sievers has several varieties of basketmaking willow planted and growing behind the Walter Studio, for use in Jo Campbell-Amsler’s willow basketry classes and by other weavers. Incidentally, the very first basket making class at Sievers was Willow Basketry with Char TerBeest-Kudla, held in 1980, our second year of classes. We love our history with willow! This past weekend’s class joins others already in the willow history books. Led by John, students had the chair frames together only a few hours after class […]
Farewell September
It’s hard to say goodbye to this September. Warm and sunny weather throughout, lots of weaving happening in the studio, and many visitors, including quite a number of Sievers Alumni. (Did you know we keep a calendar in the office to write down those who aren’t here for class, but stop in while on the Island? In the last 10 days, we’ve recorded 18 names. How fun!) We continued weaving in September, first with Betty Glynn Carlson and her Navajo Weaving Techniques class. Several students were new to weaving in general, or to Navajo weaving, and a few returned with either a work in progress from a previous class or worked on a piece which needed the last few rows […]
September days are here
From a poem recited by our teacher in grade school days, we hold in our memories the words, “…September days are here, with summer’s best of weather and autumn’s best of cheer.” So far, this September has been exactly that. With one class in session each week this month, we’ll be sharing September studio and island views in two blogs. We begin by featuring the classes Metalwork Jewelry Boot Camp with Kay Rashka and Double Weave with Judith Yamamoto, assisted by Lynn Novotnak. From creating etched designs on metal with stamps or by hand, to cutting, forming, piercing and more, students in the Metalwork Jewelry Boot Camp made personalized textured art jewelry in this busy four-day class. Kay brings a […]
Making rainbows
Many classes use all the colors of the rainbow (and more!), but in the Spinners’ Color Lab with Deb Jones, students made rainbows of their own, in roving and yarn. Mixing a certain number of “starter colors” into hundreds of other colors kept the rainbows coming. Deb reported 200 skeins of yarn (more than 5,000 grams) and 1,300 grams of roving were dyed in two days. Students worked as partners dyeing solids, gradients, speckles and more. After the dyeing and drying, students spun the singles into one-of-a-kind yarns that might look like keepsakes, but are sure to be used in other fiber works. We hope to see those on a return visit! Happiness is being surrounded by color! Although there […]
Beginning, beyond and boxes
Classes in Beginning Weaving on a Table Loom, Beyond Beginning: Weaving, and Cartonnage: Four-Drawer Tower Box have made their mark these past few weeks of August and we expect those students went home with “happiness in their hands”, as has been done many times before. Starting at the beginning, Nancy Frantz gave students the opportunity to try weaving while learning the basics of preparing a warp and dressing the loom. Students then went on to weave a sampler or a set of mug rugs, all in a matter of three days. Beyond beginning projects appropriate for those with some weaving experience was the focus of Susan Frame’s class. From scarves to rep weave to double weave wool blankets, the class […]
Take five
We’ve had a busy start to August with five classes in session during the first ten days of the month. Beadweaving, and then Mixed Media Fiber Jewelry with Francie Broadie, Finding Our Way: A Dyeing Journey with Stephanie Lewis Robertson, Batik with Anne Landre and Coiled Basketry with Lynn Stracka Schuster. Let’s “take five” and see a little of what each class did during their time in the studios. Francie Broadie’s Beadweaving: Lesser Known Stitches class allowed all levels to try beadweaving for the first time or to explore unfamiliar stitches, then in her Mixed Media Fiber Jewelry class, students created one-of-a-kind jewelry using fabric scraps, beads, found objects or pieces of old jewelry, upcycling and combining them in fun […]
Color and pattern play
Bringing colors and patterns together, either in knitting or marbling, filled the days in a good part of July’s classes. We’re glad to know there’s much more to come in August, September and October! Beginning with Fair Isle Knitting Techniques, Mary Germain introduced her students to the traditional methods for making a Fair Isle sweater (teddy-bear sized) by incorporating corrugated ribbing, steeks and two-color knitting, all patterned after the characteristic Shetland Fair Isle methods. In the second of her three-day classes, Mary guided students in designing their own hat, beginning with a Fair Isle pattern and selecting and swatching just the right colors for just the right motifs. On to a short break from knitting, to Marbling with Joyce Gitter. […]
Still ringing true
In the 1982 Sievers class brochure, Walter Schutz wrote, “All who attend carry home with them not only the techniques of their chosen fiber art but also rich memories and lasting friendships.” Here we are, 42 years later and those words continue to ring true. It’s generally the case that several small groups of friends come together for our Open Quilt Studios. With a retreat atmosphere and the freedom to sew and quilt (or knit, explore and shop) when you want, there’s a unique balance of productivity and “permission” during the week. There were new pieces in the works every day and once in awhile, quilt blocks or a top make a repeat appearance. We could see them over and […]
