Fiber arts may be the focus of Sievers classes, but many times, it’s equally about the friendships. That’s certainly true of the Batik Alumni Studio, facilitated by Mary Jo Scandin as well as the two overlapping classes last week, Your Latest, Greatest Quilt with Ellen Graf and Independent Study in Basketry with Jeanette Biederman. In each group, long-standing friendships have been formed, with some of those Sievers-class friendships going back more than 30 years! We know from each group that several get together during the Sievers “off season”, maintaining their connection not only to their chosen fiber art, but to each other. In the batik studio, there’s an ever-changing landscape of pieces in various stages of drawing, dyeing, waxing and […]
Carving out some time
Carving out some time, or in Walter Schutz’s words, “doing something nice for yourself” is often mentioned at Sievers class introductions and graduations. It’s an old-fashioned interpretation of today’s self-care. In literal terms, students in Jerry Landwehr’s Woodcarving class were able to carve out some time working on a Nuthatch or carving a face into a walking stick. One bird migrated back from a previous class and there were others that kept watch over the students as they worked. Practice blocks allowed the opportunity to create just the right expression on the students’ newly carved companions. Doing something nice for themselves is what Jeanette Biederman’s students have done in class together more than once (or twice). Renewing friendships, making baskets […]
One of a Kind
“Just” another week at Sievers…two fashion shows, daily potluck class lunches and a dinner, more than 66 one-of-a-kind garments made by Mary Sue Fenner and at least 22 of Jeanette Biederman’s baskets for inspiration. Plus, at the end of the week, the students went home with the new garments or baskets they made. Wow! An impromptu invitation from the Red Cup Coffee House quickly evolved into the first fashion show of the week. You can see a selection of the garments on our Facebook or Instagram pages, some of which were made by the students and some by Mary Sue. (There are basket photos there and more from the final class fashion show, too!) Using their own handwoven, hand-painted, hand-dyed […]
The Sievers Gathering – September 27, 28 & 29, 2018
The Sievers Gathering is set for September 27-29! This is a great way to keep in touch with each other, meet Sievers instructors and it’s also an opportunity to return to Washington Island and share of sample of what happens at Sievers School with a friend. All visitors are welcome and all events are open to the public. Here’s what’s waiting for you… Workshops – Two workshops are scheduled during the Gathering. These one and one-half day sessions begin on Thursday, September 27 at 2 pm and end on Friday, September 28 at 4 pm. They are: Bead Embroidery Basics with a Side of Weaving taught by Francie Broadie and Beginning Splint-Woven Basketry taught by Geri Rock. There are limited […]
Sievers Gathering Workshops
We are looking forward to the Sievers Gathering, Thursday, September 27 – Saturday, September 29 and are excited to share information on our two workshops! #1 Bead Embroidery Basics with a Side of Weaving – Francie Broadie, Instructor Learn the basics of bead embroidery! If you can thread a needle and sew a straight-ish line, you have what you need to succeed. Students will make a small bead embroidered pendant, then learn kumihimo, a Japanese braiding technique, to create a unique cord to display your pendant. This will be a fun class with room for personalization of the project. For all levels. Workshop Fee $200 1 1/2-Day Class September 27 – 28 (2pm Thursday – 4pm Friday) Workshop fee […]
Fiber eclipse
Although we witnessed a darkening of the sky (some of it due to general cloud cover and a small rain shower) during the total eclipse on August 21, it turned out that these crescent shadows were our most visible evidence of the event at Sievers. With one of the definitions for eclipse or eclipsing being “to surpass; outshine”, we felt that for us, the classes held that week joined our other 37 classes in their own “fiber eclipse”. Watching the baskets in Jeanette Biederman’s Independent Study Splint-Woven Basketry class come together is always inspiring. Sunrise to sundown, busy hands were weaving colorful patterns. Luckily, there’s no need to hide your eyes from this kind of eclipse! Not to be outshone, students in Daniel Essig’s two classes, Tools of the Trade […]
Fiber in common
Do baskets, barks and mittens have anything in common? Yes, especially when they’ve been the focus of recent classes at Sievers School of Fiber Arts! Stacks of baskets were created in Jeanette Biederman’s Splint-Woven Basketry: Independent Study class, with some completely finished and some ready for the final touches at home. Next year, the plan is to take a photo that includes all the baskets made during the week. Might need to stand over by the barn to fit them all in the camera lens! Instead of a stack of baskets, how about class time spent on one perfect Winnebago Picnic Basket? Even Schoolhouse Beach may not be ready for this beauty! Learning the techniques of making Latvian mittens followed by a separate class on Latvian Mitten Design with Sandy […]
Our Fair Isle
What’s better than one Fair Isle knitting class? Two Fair Isle knitting classes! Last week, Sandy De Master and Mary Germain taught a class in Fair Isle Techniques followed by Fair Isle Design with Janine Bajus, who we welcomed for the first time as a Sievers instructor. What made it even better was to have our Beginning Basketry class in session at the same time with Kay Normann and Drew Tibbetts sharing three fun and busy days with their students. Teddy had plenty of sweaters to choose from while modeling for the techniques class. Students learned construction techniques by knitting this small sweater. Then it was time to continue our Fair Isle theme and focus on the concept of design. By using photographs to develop […]
