Before the leaves are gone, we want to share some of the views around the Island of the trees, dressed in gold. There could be a photo from every road and path on Washington Island with the same beautiful colors. (That would be a lot of photos!) They came into peak a little later than usual this year and have stayed a little later, too. How lucky we are to be surrounded by beauty in each direction! With strong winds today and more predicted, the colors will soon be blanketing the ground, in preparation for winter. We’ll be sorry to see them go. It’s not all gold, red, brown and orange in October, there are all the colors of […]
Finishing with a flourish
Finishing our 2016 season of classes with a flourish of color and design were eight students in Deb Sharpee’s Rag Rug Weaving class. It’s such fun to see the rugs come to life. Many times, the fabrics used in the rugs have stories behind them. Every time, students go home with one, two or more rugs that are sure to delight the floors awaiting them! This teal and grey Diamond rag rug is a gem! Deb brings a mangle for students to prepare fabric strips for weaving. These rugs are sure to make happy feet! When we started our first class of the season on June 3, we didn’t realize how quickly the next five months would […]
Simple and Natural
What an appealing combination for last week’s Sievers classes! Simple and natural in Connie Westbrook’s Handwoven Homespun Fabric class, using natural cotton/linen blend yarns in neutrals with just a splash of color and woven in simple plain weave. At the same time, simple and natural in Donna Kallner’s Natural Dye Retreat, with materials harvested from the grounds at Sievers and on Washington Island used to dye silk, wool and cotton. Projects included towels, curtains, bread cloths and totes and with plain weave, the weaving goes fast! The leaves from indigo plants produced these vibrant blues, illustrating that revealing the final results from leaves, barks and berries is part of the process and joy of natural dyeing. To see more and experience some of […]
Together again
It didn’t seem like an entire year had passed since the Creative Knitting Retreat with Sandy De Master and Mary Germain and Carving Songbirds class with Jerry Landwehr met again at Sievers this past week and weekend. Coming together like caramel and apples, or turkey and stuffing (if you were on Washington Island over Columbus Day weekend, you know what I’m referring to…), the knitters and woodcarvers had the opportunity to savor a favorite hobby or get a taste of something new. A lot of knitting projects were out on the tables during the week, but a main focus was spending time catching up with knitting friends. Projects included Fair Isle knitting, lace, color knitting and working with beautiful Washington Island handspun yarn. […]
Sit back and relax
After a weekend making a bent willow chair with Ken Workowski or a week learning the characteristics of deflected double weave with Judith Yamamoto, each student certainly deserved to sit back and relax, perhaps even in a chair made by their own hand! The chair frames were together by the end of the afternoon, just a few hours into class. Bending and placing the arms and backs took another complete day. Students in the Deflected Double Weave class shared samples of their weaving and the accompanying drafts with each other. When class is done, why not sit back, relax and put your feet up? The fall colors on Washington Island are just starting and we’re looking forward to […]
Wonderful Wearables
After her Inkle Weaving class in the morning, Daryl Lancaster made the transition to her five/seven-day Garment Construction Intensive class in the afternoon, welcoming students for week of sewing, creating jackets and other wearables. There were lovely handwoven and other special fabrics, interesting patterns and ideas…so let the cutting and sewing begin! Some students worked on one garment during the week, new students to this class took a “Daryl Jacket” from start to finish, while others started a number of garments and will finish them at home, getting Daryl’s help with fitting and design ideas. One unexpected, but fun addition to this class was a foray into dyeing silk yardage for linings, creating custom colors to match these custom garments. You’ll be able to read […]
Shuttles in motion
Whether they were small shuttles in the hands of inkle weavers or larger shuttles in the Beyond Beginning Weaving class, all were in motion during the past week in class with Daryl Lancaster and Nancy Adams. I’m not sure we’ve had that many weavers at one time, but because it was so fun, we might have to do it again! Inkle weaving has great possibilities beyond simple bands or trim. You can go from the basics to extra special in just a few days. There was such a great variety of handwovens from the “beyond beginner” weavers! Runners, scarves, towels and a wall hanging were just some of what was woven in class. I think a lot of shuttles were in motion to complete this wall […]
Animal, Vegetable and Mineral…?
I guess you could classify the previous three classes that way with Navajo Weaving taught by Betty Glynn Carlson representing “animal” for the authentic wool yarns used, Natural Fiber Basketry with Jo Campbell-Amsler as “vegetable” for the willow, grapevine, Siberian Iris and Daylily leaves incorporated in all shapes of baskets and the Metalwork Jewelry Boot Camp with Kay Rashka as “mineral” for the sheets of copper, brass and silver as base materials. Some students brought back Navajo rugs started in (or finished from) a previous class and others started their first pieces. The steps along the way to a finished rug involve patience, thoughtfulness and perseverance. The many varieties of willow, barks, leaves and vines gathered here on the Island or brought by […]
