Those words were used 40 years ago by Walter Schutz in the first Sievers School class brochure and for many years that followed. They’re still true today! Each year since classes began in 1979, we await meeting new students and reconnecting with returning student-friends. Not only are we waiting for you, so are the instructors, fellow classmates, the studios, dormitory, favorite Washington Island places and the Sievers shop. As one way to mark our 40th anniversary year, we’ll occasionally share some of the “Sievers Stories” collected last year from students. In one, Kathy B. wrote, “I came for my first class in 1989 and took beginning spinning followed by intermediate spinning. When I think back, that was really ambitious for […]
One month
It has been almost one month since our last posting and it is almost one month until the first day of class, Open Quilt Studio on May 28th. So, what has been happening at Sievers this past month? Since the end of March we’ve been readying the shop and receiving yarns, books, fabrics and other fiber art necessities plus all the lovely handmade work of our students and teachers. Many new and fun things will be waiting for you! The shop will be open daily starting Monday, May 20th, from 10 am – 5 pm, although we’ve already had a few visitors stop in by happenstance this past week. Our Washington Island Art Association friends will be renting the Walter Studio […]
Local Yarn Store Day
Although Sievers will have to formally celebrate the first Local Yarn Store Day a month later on May 21st when we open our doors daily, we did want to share photos of our yarns as we are beginning to arrange everything that has come in, including the lovely work sent by many Sievers students and teachers. We hope you will be inspired this year, not only by yarn and knitting, but with any fiber art you love best. “Stairway to (Blue Sky) Heaven” “Norwegian Wood” (I mean Wool) “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” “Send in the (Knit Circus) Clowns” “Kashmir” Merino Silk DK Rowan Felted “Tweed-le Dee” “Mad (Tosh) World” “Sock It To Me Baby” Brown […]
What’s new here and there
What’s new here… Today we start keeping regular hours in the shop (10am – 5pm) each day through October 31 and the Washington Island Art Association artists just started their five-day Open Workshop this morning, a very green, partly sunny day. So starts our 39th season! For the past 10 years, we’ve been fortunate to have Connie Westbrook as an employee, instructor and friend. She’s decided to step back from the employee role and more fully enjoy retirement time on the Island. No doubt we’ll see her at Sievers more than a few times while classes are in session! One of the new things Connie plans to do is explore all the surrounding islands, bays and harbors by boat with […]
May Miscellany
It’s official! The information packets for Class#1, Open Quilt Studio, were mailed today. On June 5, those students will be the first to arrive of 322 registered so far. We’re already getting the buildings ready as our initial guests will be the W.I. Art Association artists utilizing the Walter Studio starting on May 22. After 20 years, one part of getting the buildings ready meant it was time to sand and then re-varnish the floor of the Sophie Studio, making it nice and shiny again. Many beautiful and special items have already arrived for the Sievers Shop. We will be open daily, 10-5, starting Monday, May 22nd. Until then, as temperatures permit and if we are in the office, we’re happy to greet you. One […]
April Images
For the fifth year in a row on Washington Island, a Quilts of Valor sewing event was held in the Sophie Studio. Coordinated by Ellen Graf, a total of 26 individuals were involved in the event during the last few days of March and early April. From their hands, ten quilt tops were completed, joined by three quilts that had been finished before the event began. They will be on display at the Washington Island Memorial Day Program before being awarded to recipients known and unknown by the Island makers. The Quilts of Valor Foundation is a national non-profit whose mission is to create comforting and healing quilts for service members and veterans touched by war. It’s the time of the year when so many wonderful things are arriving […]
Getting Ready
The time is coming closer for the start of our 38th season! First we will see the Washington Island Art Association artists in the Walter Studio the week of May 23-27 and Class 1, Open Quilt Studio starts at 2pm on Friday, June 3. Lovely consignment items, yarns and books have arrived and the shop is filling its corners with all things fiber. Although our official opening day for the shop is Monday, May 23 with daily hours of 10-5, if you see that we’re here, come on in! Knitted samples made over the winter, feature some of our Churchmouse Classics patterns (on the left, the Diagonal Lace Scarf and on the right, the Fir Cone Lace Scarf). Made with Isager fingering weight yarns, […]
April is here
If summer seems far away and you need a quick video visit to the Island, this “teaser” shows some of the scenes from the recent “Discover Wisconsin” Washington Island edition. http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Ue1YgILjuZOcLA3bZI0tJOqLkIqdPEVEPZagPC1bAeRVhWuV0me8YSHAu80RmexJ3W_dTL9X1oy_OxaDNM-xIXQW04-bMO2024dHUfM0TJ2G-azexUD4llA7e6oGEoBcc-4Ly9cYZkbPlW7hBc6mJ3CZ4ZP7CHHwm5xlZhat2ZuH2gz2dw9yIQ==&c=1WySR_2NBxTtcguXpPkCu6uDYJQqDVmI72JNHQqMpQNBvo-TvkVxCw==&ch=00yqn_Fw9Gm0kOUm90gWXZQnS08seLl7QAJxynrDg1LthjvOkjRwsg==
