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, […]
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, […]
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 #3: Keeping warm
This pop-up Sievers Shop is looking ahead a bit to the days when we will need to keep warm! We know how cozy these items can be since we often find ourselves selling them on the hottest days of the summer, like these three pair of mittens, made from upcycled wool sweaters, lined with fleece and featuring special embellishments ($75 each). More upcycled wool mittens and hats are available in the shop along with chenille hats and knit headbands that will definitely keep the ears warm. Wearing a cowl is like getting a little personal hug. Pom-poms still rule the knitted hat scene! Warm comes in many genres, including woven scarves and shawls… …and silks and sunsets, which are just […]
Sievers and weaving
Continuing with a little more history, you may recall Sievers started with plan sheets to build a loom. The first print advertisement was placed in American Home Crafts magazine in 1974. In Walter Schutz’s own records, he notes on January 26, 1974, “Got our first request for our loom plans from Allen Roberts who owns north of us on Green Bay Road”. The first order of plan sheets placed from this ad was on April 15, 1974 for $9.00. About 50 orders were received in the first four months. Soon after, floor loom plans were added and Sievers began to become a name associated with weaving. Sievers School continues to offer more classes in the weaving category than in any […]
Forty and forty-one
These were two of our favorite numbers this year! Forty for Sievers School’s 40th anniversary year and forty-one for our 41st season of teaching classes. With the origin of Sievers based on weaving, it was very appropriate that our last two classes were #40, Beginning Weaving with Nancy Adams and assistant, Susan Johnson and #41, Magic Carpet Ride:Rag Rug Weaving with Deb Sharpee. It was the perfect way to finish our 2019 season and mark those two milestones. From a variety of samples, perfect for beginning weavers, students learned the basics of weaving on a floor loom and were able to finish their first project and then go on to dress the loom and weave a second piece. Most of […]
Crisp, clean and simple
These were some of the adjectives Connie Westbrook used to describe the lines and designs typical of Scandinavian style weaving for her class, “Simply Scandinavian”. Connie’s handwoven samples had those qualities, although “simple” would not be one of the words that first come to mind. Students followed suit in their own work. Whether it was one, two, (or more!) projects completed in class, all reflected the spirit of Scandinavian design. One of the students in the class, Deanna S., had taken advantage of this offer when she came to the Island in February of 1987 and bought a Sievers Loom (which she still has). Ann had given her the free lesson! We found a copy of this Handwoven magazine ad […]
Reclaim and re-purpose
Using materials at hand was the focus of the weaving students in Judie Yamamoto’s “Busting the Stash” class as was building a Bent Willow Chair with Ken Workowski, our last two classes in September. Finding a new purpose for leftovers and yarns that one never seems to know what to do with, resulted in fresh discoveries. Brainstorming, yarn swaps, working with color and texture, creating new combinations and moving out of the comfort zone made everything old, new again! Re-purposing natural materials is essential in building a Bent Willow Chair. Ken and Michelle’s business, The Nature of Things, showcases their craftsmanship in using natural and sustainable materials. They diligently seek out and prepare the correct size and length willow so […]
