Spring on the Island brings about new improvements, new business ventures and the return of birds and flowers. Starting with news from Sievers, windows on the south side of the barn in the dormitory have been replaced. This will allow a portable air conditioner to be used in the dorm when necessary. At the same time, the south side of the barn is being prepared for cedar shingles. We noticed in the Spring 2013 Shuttle, Spindle and Dyepot magazine a photo of Mary Sue Fenner’s jacket that won a 2012 Handweavers Guild of America Award at the Wisconsin Handweavers show, Loominosity. Mary Sue is also scheduled to teach a weekend “Basic Handwoven Jacket” class on May 17-18 through Wisconsin Handweavers. Also from WHI, at their meeting tomorrow (May […]
Bound Together
On our final day as Quilts of Valor “coaches and rookies”, we met with Island QoV coordinator, Ellen Graf, to measure and sew the binding on our quilts. In the time since the quilt tops were finished in March, they have travelled to a number of volunteer longarm quilters in Wisconsin where the top, batting and backing were stitched together with various quilting designs (stars, flags, curved lines and more) then returned for the last steps. Today the binding was sewn on by machine and the final hand stitching will be done at home. There were a lot of busy hands in the Sophie Studio today! Just a few of the quilts ready for the final hand stitching. Note the smiling faces! Each team also made a presentation case (similar to a pillow case) for their […]
Spring Cleaning
We’ve been cleaning and moving things around in the shop the past two weeks and are now putting out the new yarns and books for our 2013 season. Consignment items are beginning to arrive, too, in time for our mid-May opening. Another spring cleaning note is that we have found enough parts for THE LAST 36″ Sievers Floor Loom. Made of maple, it has been assembled and finished with Danish oil. The price for this loom is $1,670.00. If you are interested, please let us know by calling 920-847-2264 or sending an email to
ma**@si***********.com
. The loom would have to be picked up in person and would need a van to transport it to its new home. Folded, the dimensions are approximately 23″ […]
Signs of Spring
Jackson Harbor is always a good spot to see some of the first returning water birds, a sure sign that spring is arriving Some Pileated Woodpeckers ushered in spring by feasting on this tree across the road from Sunset Resort. More springtime visitors are the sand hill cranes. About a half-mile before you get to Sievers is a dip in the road under which in springtime, water often flows. Beginning in the fields below Mountain Road, what’s known to Islanders as “the creek” meanders north until it reaches Lake Michigan. A little more water and a little less snow and ice at the Washington Island Ferry Line Potato Dock landing!
Spring…The Calendar Says So
Looking back, it was a full week ago last year when the sandhill cranes were in the fields, the red-winged blackbirds had returned and the first daffodils were showing their sunny faces. This being a more “traditional” winter, we wait patiently for those signs of spring. While a recent ferry trip had only clear skim ice near the dock, further north and west along the Island, a jumble of larger chunks had created a robin’s egg blue ice shove. While keeping warm inside, we’ve registered over 265 students and several of the classes are filled or have waiting lists. With the sun getting warmer each day, we do know that winter is slipping away!
Quilts of Valor Weekend
What a fun and productive weekend with nine teams of coaches and rookies and two individual quilters working on ten Quilts of Valor! The coaches arrived Friday morning for a time of orientation and then pressed and cut fabric strips and the foundation blocks in preparation for sewing on Saturday. When the rookies sat down to sew on Saturday morning, the coaches had prepared their sewing machines for a full day. It was as busy as a beehive with machines running, irons pressing, pins put in place and oohs and aahs as the quilt blocks started to go up. As each quilt top is finished, they will be sent to longarm quilters who volunteer their services. They will […]
Under Our Wings: Quilts of Valor Event at Sievers
On Friday, March 8 and Saturday, March 9, Sievers will be hosting at least nine teams of coaches and rookies working on Quilts of Valor. The Quilts of Valor program originated ten years ago when a Blue Star mom, Catherine Roberts, had a goal to cover all returning deployed service men and women touched by war with a reminder of America’s appreciation and gratitude. A Quilt of Valor is a generous lap-sized quilt made of quality fabrics. On March 8th, experienced quilters (coaches) will bring their sewing machines and prepare the fabric by cutting and pressing. Any rookies who wish to come that day to observe are also welcome. On March 9th, non-quilters (rookies) sew the 1/4″ seams and eat chocolate (!) according to Island coordinator, Ellen Graf. At […]
Basket Week
Basket week is in progress with two classes taught by Jeanette Biederman and Rich Prange. The first class, Basket Weaving Basics started Tuesday and finished yesterday while the second, Twill Basketry, started this morning. We determined that it has been almost 20 years that Jeanette and Rich have been teaching basketry in the winter here at Sievers. What a great tradition! The most recent addition to the Sievers Permanent Collection is a Cherokee Tray made by Jeanette, now hanging in the Sophie Studio. It makes our hearts happy to have this basket as part of the Permanent Collection, but even happier to share time at Sievers with Jeanette and Rich!
