Weaving two by twos refers to the foundation of weaving pairs at the start (and end) of a Navajo textile, which is characterized as a child taking their first steps. With our most recent weaving classes, Navajo Weaving with Betty Glynn Carlson and Beginning Weaving with Nancy Adams and Susan Johnson as her assistant, weavers took those first steps and beyond. Using authentic Navajo patterns and wool yarns, students new to Navajo weaving worked on a small piece while those who had works in progress or wanted to explore techniques they had not tried before had the opportunity to do so with Betty’s guidance. Warping the loom as well as weaving isn’t (or shouldn’t be) measured in hours, but in […]
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 […]
Four, three, two
The description said, “…let’s celebrate looms with four or less shafts and all their possibilities!” That’s just what happened in the intermediate-level weaving class, Four Shafts or Less, taught by Nancy Adams. All the possibilities translated into an impressive variety of handwovens at the end of the week. Watching the students weave their projects, including towels of cotton and cottolin, 3-shaft Krokbragd using Brown Sheep Company’s Nature Spun sport-weight wool, rep and twill weaves and a shawl while at the same time being treated to eight different types of chocolate-covered temptations, made for a very desirable working studio! Carol S., one of the students in the class, gave us her “Sievers Story” and we’d like to share it with you. […]
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 […]
Three classes and one message
We’ve had the joy of seeing all the students and their wonderful work in Marbling on Paper and Fabric with Nancy Akerly, Beginning Weaving with Nancy Adams and Susan Johnson and Independent Study: Splint-Woven Basketry with Jeanette Biederman all within this past week! Looking back, it was 1999 when we last held a class in marbling. After 19 years, new were so many detailed designs. The options of printing on paper (from plain to pages from books, sheet music, maps and more) or fabric gave great options for students. This was the first time marbling has been held in the Walter Studio as 19 years ago, it was about a month away from being finished. As you can imagine, we could share dozens of photos from each […]
Two, four, eight
Last week meant weaving on two, four or eight-shafts in either Daryl Lancaster’s Advanced Inkle Weaving Techniques (two) or Nancy Adams’ Honeycomb and Waffle Weave (four and eight). In the inkle class, intricate designs included name drafts, pick-ups and turned Krokbragd. The inkle weavers are proudly showing their looms with all the special techniques they learned in class with instructor, Daryl Lancaster. You can read more about Daryl, her travels and the classes she teaches on her own blog, www.weaversew.com. To create honeycomb or waffle weave, a four- or eight-harness loom is in order and students in Nancy Adams’ class made one, two or six (!) pieces including scarves, pillow covers, towels and table runners in this wonderful textural weave. […]
Gifts given
Many students have said that a class at Sievers is a “gift given to myself”. If the first two classes are any indication, what’s inside those gifts are color, inspiration, learning and sharing as well as new and continuing friendships. It began with the Open Quilt Studio in early June. How fun to see all the fabrics unwrapped and quilt tops created during the week! Susan Hoffmann, one of our instructors, was here as a student in the Open Quilt Studio and presented us with a very special gift which has been added to our Permanent Collection and is on display in the Sophie Studio. “Carolyn’s Woods” was inspired by a photo shared on this blog a few years ago of the daffodils at Sievers. The technique is Landscape ‘Painting’ with Fabric and is the […]
Shuttles in motion
Whether they were small shuttles in the hands of inkle weavers or larger shuttles in the Beyond Beginning Weaving class, all were in motion during the past week in class with Daryl Lancaster and Nancy Adams. I’m not sure we’ve had that many weavers at one time, but because it was so fun, we might have to do it again! Inkle weaving has great possibilities beyond simple bands or trim. You can go from the basics to extra special in just a few days. There was such a great variety of handwovens from the “beyond beginner” weavers! Runners, scarves, towels and a wall hanging were just some of what was woven in class. I think a lot of shuttles were in motion to complete this wall […]
