“Unleash your creative spirit…” are the first four words in the class description of Ellen Graf’s recent Latest, Greatest Quilt class. Those words were similarly appropriate for the companion class, Japanese Temari: Four Seasons with Kathy Broer and Judie Yamamoto. They could certainly apply to any Sievers class! The quilting students brought their ideas, fabrics or quilts in progress and with Ellen’s guidance and design experience, planned, pieced, pressed and sewed with creative spirit. The “latest and greatest” of Kathy Broer’s Japanese Temari were on display for she and Judie’s class which focused on four stitches as interpreted by the seasons. Herringbone for Winter, Rose for Spring, Star for Summer and Spindle for Fall. The stunning samples of so many […]
First of the season
For many years now, we have opened our season with an Open Quilt Studio and the same was true beginning on June 2. With a group in each building, all of Sievers was filled with bright, creative, thoughtful and fun quilts and quilters. Each and every one put their hearts into their finished pieces. Bringing ideas or quilts in progress, pre-cutting hundreds of pieces at home or starting from “block one” here at Sievers, the gallery of quilts through the week is ever-changing and inspiring. Stories are told, lessons are learned, gifts are made, friendships are formed, and family, friends and future holders of these quilts are cherished with each stitch. We move from quilting to quilting with Class #2, […]
Catching up
It’s been three weeks since our last post so it’s well past time to catch up with what’s been happening at Sievers. After a short break in classes over the Fourth of July, Sandy De Master and Mary Germain were here for their Baltic Knitting Extravaganza class. Knitters new to Latvian and Estonian knitting began with a lined, ornament-sized mitten and went on to design their own pair or other project. The hardest part is deciding which of the many great color and motif inspirations to choose! These mittens deserve a hand (and these hands deserve the mittens)! What can we say about Rigid Heddle Weaving with Deb Jones? It’s a fast-paced weaving experience, complete with excellent instruction, beautiful yarns, […]
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 […]
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 […]
A tale of two classes
Back in February, we had no idea that it would be July before the first Sievers class of 2020 would take place. In May, we weren’t sure when and if we could hold a class. Then guidelines were issued and we hoped some of our classes would work with precautions in place. Many factors are being taken into consideration for each class. Can an instructor teach from a six-foot distance? Depending on the subject, how many students can be accommodated in the studio? Are students using any shared equipment? What level of comfort is there from all involved in travelling and gathering with others? All that being said, we have so far been able to hold two classes, Quilt Design […]
June news and views
Each day feels more and more like summer with all the leaves and flowers out, stirring in the warm sunshine. Early this spring, a maple tree was transplanted just outside the Walter Studio. It seems to have taken to its new home quite well. We’ve had plenty of water to keep the new tree growing, but not as much as this tree has! Our new neighbors have opened as the Inn at Frog Hollow and are taking reservations. Welcome, Dan and Dawn Nelson! They join our next closest lodging neighbor, Jackson Harbor Inn, in our favorite part of the Island. The Washington Island Ferry Line will be expanding their schedule to eleven trips at day, starting June 11. In Sievers […]
Give them a hand…
…for all the knitting and quilting and learning that took place in both Sandy De Master and Mary Germain’s Baltic Knitting Extravaganza and Ellen Graf’s Balance in Quilt Design classes! From the smallest Latvian mini-mittens to a full-size quilt, there were new and renewed projects in both studios. Following traditional designs or adapting and creating new ones were options in both classes. Both were equally wonderful! Studio visit times allow everyone to share and show the work of their hands, demonstrating a quote often associated with Walter Schutz, “Happiness is in your hands…and it keeps you young!” From the Reader’s Digest article Walter found that quote in, the last sentence reads, “We need the sense of self-confidence, self-respect, that comes […]