The last day of our 2020 season of classes was as always, bittersweet. We missed seeing so many of you this year, teachers and students alike. On the other hand, we were grateful for the classes that were able to be held. By early March, we had already registered 305 students. In the end, we had 41 students attend two open studio sessions and six classes taught by five instructors, two of which live on Washington Island. We also rented the studios three separate times to Sievers alumni. Going back, only the first year of classes in 1979 had a comparable number of students…33. That being said, it’s not quantity, it’s quality! And we finished the season in the same […]
Pop-up Shop #6: Holidays and handmade
It’s time for another pop-up shop before most of the items are returned to the artists now that our season is coming to a close. We’ve covered a wide representation of handmade work from our students and teachers earlier, so for this pop-up we begin with a holiday theme. These stockings are made from “tattered quilts with vintage jewelry, laces and linens” and measure about 5″ x 16″. $40 each (Limited quantities on all of the handmade work shown above.) For the do-it-yourself-ers who want to knit or weave their own handmade holiday trimmings, a pattern and yarns for wee elves as well as ideas for gifts made with rigid-heddle, inkle and pin looms are also available. For winter handmade […]
Never enough October
October on Washington Island is definitely a favorite! We can never get enough of the cool, crisp days and colorful woodland views. This year it seems the leaves have glowed more vibrantly and lasted longer than usual. We have savored every moment. In these last few weeks, our studios were rented two separate times. Besides working on weaving, quilting and other projects, relaxation and exploration were part of each day. Soon, more of the leaves will be on the ground than in the trees. We’re seeing the transition already as we begin this last week of October and the last week of our 2020 season. Another plus this time of year are later sunrises. We’ll savor these, too!
Stashes
The subject of stashes (yarns, fabrics, books, fiber art tools and/or supplies) is a common topic of conversation among fiber artists. This year, more than most, we’re guessing the stashes out there were used (at least partially…), sorted through, organized, admired or donated due to the fact that we’ve all been spending more time at home than usual. This year and last, Sievers has had a class for weavers to specifically “bust the stash”, taught by Judie Yamamoto. During the last week in September, the four students in class were able to create new combinations with yarns from their stashes, including using these hand-dyed wools. If the definition of stash is to hide away or store in a secret place, […]
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 […]
Sievers Pop-Up Shop #4 : Handwoven and home
We’ve all been spending more time at home these days, so it seemed natural to focus this pop-up shop on items for the home, including a number of handwovens. This cozy, Scandinavian-inspired throw with a soft-as-a-cloud fleece backing is made of wool and cotton and is priced at $175. The display basket is $125. If dining out has turned into dining in, why not make it special with a beautiful table? There’s nothing like a handwoven rug to create a real feeling of homeyness. Whether they are made using llama fiber… …or cotton fabrics ( “rags” isn’t the right term to use for these rugs) to create just the right design, a custom rug can set the tone in any […]
Sievers Pop-Up Shop #2: The write stuff
This is the second in a series of pop-up shops featuring items made by the students and teachers of Sievers. Our “write stuff” shop focuses on cards, papers and books along with reading and writing tools. We’ll start with these paste paper cards which come in a pack of eight for $18.00. A special book to write special words and special writing tools can record special ideas. For handmade books, wrapping or card making, we have a variety of marbled papers. If a ready-made card is more your style, these woodland scenes are based on actual textile “painted” landscapes. When you just have to set down your writing or reading, these might come in handy. In book-related news, although book […]
