Recently, it was looms to the right of us and looms to the left in Rita Hagenbruch’s Halvdrall and Monk’s Belt class in the Sophie Studio, joined by Nancy Frantz teaching eight beginning weavers on our Sievers table looms in the Walter Studio. The samples Rita brought were so inspiring. Some commented that they could never bring themselves to actually use such fine handwovens. But Rita reminded them that unless they are used regularly at family dinners, holidays and the like, they don’t become heirlooms. Only when they are part of your memories do they become most valuable. This piece (also shown at the top of the page) was fresh off the loom at the time of the class visit […]
Taking the plunge
It is an Island tradition for some to run down the rocks from the top of Schoolhouse Beach and dive into the clear, cold water. You can imagine how invigorating and refreshing that would be. This year, Sievers “took the plunge” on a new class, Rigid Heddle Weaving. We wonder now why we waited so long. When Deb Jones offered this class for our 2019 season, we knew immediately that it was the right time with the right instructor. Like Schoolhouse Beach, this new class was invigorating and refreshing! Everyone started with a simple scarf. Learning to warp the loom and seeing their scarves take shape on the loom happened in only a couple of hours. The scarves on the […]
Felting and weaving
It was a beautiful week for making nuno-felted scarves, felted hats and for our first beginning weaving class of the season. Could the sky have been more blue, the blossoms more delicate and perfect or the studios more exciting with new students and new things to learn? We don’t think so. Combining lightweight silk and merino wool with instruction from Dawn Edwards, students created lovely nuno-felted scarves and flowers. It was our pleasure to welcome Dawn as a new instructor at Sievers and to see all the finished pieces students made in class. A tip of the cap to the Felt Hat class. Wow! So many choices from whimsical to classic shapes with added embellishments making them extra-special. Dawn’s own […]
Roll out the Rag Rugs
New fabrics, recycled fabrics, men’s ties, new sheets and old sheets whether plaid, plain or patterned all found their way into works of art for floors and walls in Deb Sharpee’s Rag Rug Weaving class, our last class of the 2018 season. Most people wove at least two rugs or a combination of rugs, runners or place mats. Laughter and conversation within the class provided some of the fuel that kept the weavers weaving, not to mention the few well-placed jokes in Deb’s handout. According to Deb, the nutshell view of this class is: Design…Arithmetic…Prep…Weave…Finish! This class has been “the closer” for the past few years and it’s a perfect and cozy way to take us from […]
Simply Scandinavian
Simply Scandinavian or simply fabulous? Definitely both! Connie Westbrook’s class focused on the clean lines and simple designs found in Scandinavian weaving. A table of beautiful samples and Connie herself wearing one of the Washington Island Scandinavian Dance Festival costumes became points of inspiration for the students to weave heirloom-quality table runners, towels, scarves, shawls, pillow covers and more. Yards and yards of towels were woven and for some, then it was onto the next project. If you laid down all the weaving done in this class, end-to-end, you might not reach Scandinavia, but you would certainly reach the hearts of anyone with Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish or Icelandic heritage! Each reveal prompted oohs and […]
Going Well Beyond
It’s time to catch up on the two classes that took place before the Gathering, Beyond Beginning Weaving with Nancy Adams and Garment Construction Intensive with Daryl Lancaster. The beautiful handwovens as well as the exceptional garments created went well beyond anything either class description could convey. Nancy guided her students through weave structures such as shadow weave, overshot and log cabin for shawls and elegant home handwovens. This class was woven together in other ways, with friendships formed at Sievers. One of the students celebrated her 80th birthday during the week. What an inspiration! Daryl brings so much to her class…her treasure trove of garments, skills and positive energy. New students work on the tailored “Daryl Jacket” and returning […]
In contrast
There’s been a definite contrast this past week between Kay Rashka’s Metalwork Jewelry Boot Camp with students using hammers, drills, motorized hand tools, torches and all sorts of shiny and possibly even sharp-edged components for fabricating jewelry and Betty Glynn Carlson’s Navajo Rug Weaving class where students quietly and reflectively place each strand of authentic wool yarn within the warp. Come along for a tour! With Kay Rashka’s instruction, each student leaves with a collection of interesting, personalized and textured art jewelry. Navajo Weaving in itself is a journey, using unbroken warp threads and meaningful designs woven out of (often) specific naturally dyed wool. To finish one piece in this 5-day class is a real accomplishment. Some of the students had started a rug in a prior year […]
Be All You Can Be
Attention!! The recruits in Deb Jones’ Spinner’s Boot Camp grant permission for you to inspect their field of operations (aka the Walter Studio). Deb brings so much for the students to experiment with, from wheels to blending and carding tools to an amazing array of fleece. It certainly allowed them to be all they can be! In this class, the boot camp atmosphere began with each student receiving a fatigue hat to form a spinning squad. Daily training in techniques and challenges were part of the week’s wooly “obstacle course”. To become a more intentional spinner along with instilling more skills and confidence were the goals of these training exercises. At the end of the first day, the comments were, “I’ve learned so much already”. […]
