February 1st will be here soon! That day, all of our 2025 classes will be open for registration and the class descriptions, along with complete information, will be available on our website. Featured on the cover of the 2025 brochure are willow baskets made by Jo Campbell-Amsler. Jo first came to Sievers as a student in Char TerBeest-Kudla’s 1981 Willow Basketry class and began offering rib-style willow classes in 1991. This year will mark the 58th class she has offered at Sievers. Jo has also been a student here several times, coordinates the annual Willow Gathering at Sievers with Lee Zieke Lee and organizes and hosts international basketry tours. Thank you, Jo, for all you share with your students, with […]
Winter: Solstice and sharing
The first day of winter, the shortest day and longest night. This natural phenomenon gives us an opportunity to focus on a constant in our world and appreciate a brief moment which subtly slips by, except to remind us we’re that much closer to seeing you again in the coming year. Now we can share a few “official winter” photos. It’s been many years, but our former school teacher for grades 4-6, Sylvia Nelson, who also taught grades 1-8 in the Jackson Harbor School starting in the early 1930’s (now part of the Sievers Shop), shared and encouraged a love of poetry with her students, including us. We always seem to turn to Mary Oliver’s words and we’re doing so […]
Thankful
This year, like each one before, we are thankful to our instructors and students for another great season of classes and studio weeks! How heartwarming to look back through last year’s photos and remember the learning, the beautiful work and the shared experiences of 2024. We are thankful beyond words for the 14 years Patricia Hewitt worked in the Sievers Shop. Just a few weeks ago, we wished Pat a fond farewell as she moved to northern Wisconsin to live near her son. With her wealth of knitting and wool knowledge, she guided us in many of our yarn choices for the shop. Pat expertly offered advice and assistance to many customers. We will miss all she brought to Sievers, […]
A perfect fit
October and knitting seem made for each other. The first reach for a warm sweater, hat or scarf tends to happen at the same time the leaves change color and sunsets come earlier. Maybe that’s one reason the Creative Knitting Retreat with Mary Germain and the companion Open Knit Studio take place in October…it’s a perfect fit (and you can wear your handknits as you create more)! The garments and accessories worn in class set the tone for the week, along with the projects students plan to work on. The range of expertise Mary Germain brings, and has at the ready to assist with each knitted piece, takes everything to the next level. How wonderful to have Mary as a […]
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 […]
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. […]
Making the most of June-Part 2
Continuing on with our June classes, we’ll see more from Ellen Graf’s “Your Latest, Greatest Quilt” class and the Batik Alumni Studio with Mary Jo Scandin, along with some terrific weaving done in the “Introduction to Overshot” class with Nancy Adams. Here’s where we left off, starting with the busy hum of sewing machines, creating big, beautiful designs from small pieces. Like most quilters, these ladies were an organized group! Stacks of pre-cut pieces or pre-made blocks from home were labeled carefully and kept in order, ready for precise placement. Ellen helps each student bring their ideas and vision together, making their “latest, greatest quilt” extra special. Batik alumni gather with Mary Jo (who is ever-creative and always evolving), to […]
Making the most of June-Part 1
How much can we fit into the month of June? Plenty, as it turns out! We’ll have welcomed five classes since June 10, which we’ll visit in this post and the next. For beginners and beyond, team teachers Kathy Broer and Judith Yamamoto have shared one or more new techniques during their Japanese Temari classes and this year, the focus was on Kikus and Triwings. In addition, for their main project, the students were challenged to use several shades of orange colors in each of the design motifs on their Temari. It’s truly captivating to see all of the samples Kathy and Judie bring as inspiration for their students and there’s an added delight to see the looks of amazement […]
