Today there are two classes in session, Nancy Frantz with Beginning Weaving on a Table Loom and Shirley Ver Hage teaching Purses, Purses, Purses!  Both classes were busy at work this morning:

During the class introduction, two students who had been roommates 30 years ago and had lost touch recognized each other and are now spending the weekend sewing purses and catching up after all this time.  This isn’t the first time a re-connection like this has been made here.  What will be the next fun surprise at Sievers? 

Last week’s Sewing with Exotic Silks class finished on Sunday morning with an inspiring fashion show:

 Next Fashion Show:  Mary Sue Fenner’s Weave, Cut & Sew class on July 3rd!

Sievers Scholarship Awarded to a 2009 Island Graduate

Again this year, Sievers has awarded a scholarship in the amount of $500 to a graduate of Washington Island High School who has benefited themselves and the community though their participation in the arts (music, theater, dance or visual arts).  This year’s scholarship was awarded to Rylee Johnson who will be attending the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, majoring in Education.  Rylee has been very involved in Island Players (the Island’s community theater group) and has shared the stage several times with Cindra.  Last year’s Sievers Scholarship recipient, Lydia Foss , will actually be working at Sievers this summer while on her break from Lawrence University.

We will be welcoming Darcy Love as a new teacher this year.  She will be teaching a 3-day Beginning Silk Painting class from June 7 - 10.  Darcy incorporates nature into her silk painted and printed pieces as you can see from this piece:

Following Darcy on the weekend of June 12 - 14 will be Donna Kallner with her Willow Garden Structures class and Karen Buell teaching Mixed Media Fabric Pendants using felt, Paintstiks, Angelina fibers, tulle (and more) embroidered with metallic threads and embellished with beadwork.  What a fun way to experiment with a lot of new materials and techniques.  Karen sent us this photo as an example of the class project:

Spring is full of possibilities!

 Also, the Washington Island Art Association is renting the Walter Studio for it’s Spring Open Studio this week.  Twelve painters arrived this morning to take advantage of the sunny studio space.  A visit with the weavers on Thursday is already planned.

Many beautiful handmade items have arrived for the shop and new things are coming in every day.  It’s an exciting week at Sievers!

It was fun to see Judy Hasheider and her group of quilters come for the morning, and Sandy De Master and husband Larry, who bicycled from the ferry dock.  Our long distance visitors were from Sweden, who had been staying in Door County and wanted to see the School. 

Here’s a few photos from Saturday:

Some of the events planned on Washington Island for 2009 are:

May 9-10 - W.I.A.A. “Let’s Just Draw” Class (at Sievers)

May 18 -22 - W.I.A.A. Open Workshop (at Sievers)

May 24 - W.I. Music Festival Chamber Music Fund Raising Concert

June 1- 5 - W.I.A.A. ”Plein Air Oil Painting Class (at Sievers) 

June 12 - Art & Nature Center Opening Reception

June 19 - 21 - W.I. Canoe and Kayak Race, Expedition and Symposium

June 22- 26 - Wisconsin Council of Churches Forum

June 26 - Maritime Museum Grilled Whitefish Dinner

July 3, 5 & 6 - Island Players “Salute to Musical Comedy II”

July 4 - W. I. Fire Department Pancake Breakfast; American Legion Fish Boil; Bicycle Parade; Fireworks at the Ballpark  

July 11 - Art-in-the-Park at the Art & Nature Center

July 18 - Fly-In Fish Boil

July 24 - Women’s Club Food Festival

July 25 - Rec Center 10K, 5K and 2K Walk/Run

August 3 - 14 - W. Island Music Festival

August 7 - 16 - “Big Art/Small Frame” Show at Red Cup Coffee House

August 7 - Scandinavian Fest Kaffe

August 8 - Scandinavian Dance Festival

August 15 - Island Fair

September 5 - American Legion Fish Boil

September 28 - October 2 - W.I.A.A. “Plein Air Oil Painting” (at Sievers)

October 10 - W.I. Fire Department Open House; Fall Harvest Dinner at Trinity Lutheran Church; Fall Fun Fest& Cider Party at the Farm Museum

For more information on some of these events, visit the Washington Island Art Assocation (W.I.A.A.) at www.washingtonislandarts.com and the W. I. Canoe and Kayak Event at www.washingtonislandcanoeandkayakevent.com

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Sievers School of Fiber Arts, we will hold an Open House on Saturday, May 2nd from 10am to 4 pm.  All of the school facilities, including the dormitory and teacher’s cottage will be open to view.  Kathy Sorensen will be in the Walter Studio, demonstrating and teaching Silk Scarf Painting and anyone age 12 and up is invited to “make and take” a hand-painted silk scarf, free of charge, sponsored by Sievers.  We will also have on display 2008/2009 “Sievers in Winter” projects and a 30-year retropective of Sievers history.  New yarns and items in the shop will be out, refreshments will be available and there will be a drawing for three $30 gift certificates.

 Sievers is pleased to have Kathy Sorensen share her artistic talents with us for this Open House.  Kathy has the distincition of being the current Sievers student that has taken the most regular season classes - 45.  The first class she registered for was “Make Money in Fiber Arts” in May of 1986.  Kathy has taken all types of classes from weaving, spinning and felt making, to silk painting, dyeing and fabric printing, to bead embellishment, needlework and basketry.  Kathy’s own business, Island Fibers, along with other ventures, sold her hand-dyed silk ribbons and threads through major quilt and sewing suppliers.  She continually adds new elements to her fiber arts repertoire.  Kathy is definitely a “Sievers Achiever”!

Sievers Scholarship

Congratuations to Kelly Kroon who is this year’s recipient of the Doreen Speckmann Scholarship.  Kelly will be attending the weeklong Quilt Design class in July.  Again this year, Sievers will be offering a scholarship to a Washington Island High School graduate who has been involved in music, dance, visual or theater arts on the Island and will be attending college or technical school.

Sievers is one of several residental craft schools featured in the March/April 2009 issue of Handwoven magazine.  In the article, “Camp for Weavers”, Terry Walker-Wedell of Antioch, IL says, “Sievers is my favorite.”  She relates that she likes the rural feel and relaxed social atmosphere. (Thanks, Terry!)

The article’s author, Karen Donde, writes, “The biggest attraction of such weaving vacations, craft proponents agree, is being able to immerse themselves in the subject matter with no distractions.  Most of these schools are in remote, rural locations that the real world stands little chance of interfering.  Cell-phone service can be spotty, on-campus lodging usually does not include TV, and the mountains, trees, lakes or oceans that dominate the landscape keep you in the moment.”

At Sievers, we know that it is also you, our teachers and students, who help make our school so special.

Within the next two weeks we will be mailing the full Sievers printed brochure, so look for a little bit of Washington Island coming your way.

   Cindra making notes on the student chart.

Sievers Scholarships

Each year we offer two scholarships based on artistic merit and financial need to students who wish to attend a Sievers class.  The Elisabeth Beinert Scholarship, given in memory of a former student, is designated for weaving classes, while the Doreen Speckmann Scholarship, given in memory of a former quilting instructor, applies to all classes.  The application deadline for 2009 is April 1st, with notification of award on April 10th.  Contact us by phone, email or through the online registration form for a scholarship application.  In 2008, we also began offering a Sievers Scholarship to a Washington Island High School graduate who was active in the visual or performing arts to be used at a university, college or technical school of their choice.  The 2008 recipient was Lydia Foss who is attending Lawrence University. 

Sievers in Winter Classes

Our last two classes this winter took place in February.  Connie Westbrook taught Random Warps/Mixed Weaves to four lucky students who made beautiful projects and were spoiled with fantastic lunches. Barbara Heike is here today(!) with her Viking Knit Bracelet class.  Barbara had taught this as a 3-hour workshop at the Gathering, and returned with an expanded one-day version for nine students.

We welcome two new teachers in 2009, Beth Ciesar and Darcy Love.  Beth will be offering a weeklong Rug Hooking class.  She attended a rug hooking workshop in Williamsburg, VA in 2001 and hasn’t stopped since! Beth lives in Fish Creek, WI.  Darcy began her exploration of textiles after taking a silk painting class at Sievers and found it a way to combine her two favorite things, art and nature.  Darcy will be teaching a 3-day Beginning Silk Painting class.

We also welcome back Mary Hettmansperger and Anita Mayer.  Instructors who are on sabbatical are Rise Andersen, Jill Choate, Ellen Graf, Flo Hoppe, Bill Kallner, Stephanie Robertson, Tressa Sularz and Michelle Workowski.  Retiring from teaching at Sievers are Louise French and Jean Hutchison.

There are over 65 classes to choose from, starting on May 17th and ending on October 23rd.  We are looking forward to 2009, our 30th anniversary season! 

On other days, we make baskets, learn needle felt embellishment and knit! 

 Thanks to Jeanette Biederman and Rich Prange, Jeanne Shay (of the Island) and Sandy De Master for teaching these classes in January.  Coming up will be Connie Westbrook leading a Random Warps/Weaving class from February 2-5 and Barbara Heike teaching a Viking Knit Bracelet class on February 11.  Later in February, the newly formed Island Weaving Study Group will spend three days weaving in the Sophie Studio.  Whether it’s deer, turkeys, pheasants, basketmakers, knitters or weavers, we’re glad they’re spending some of their winter days at Sievers!

   “Larry”, “Daryl, and his other brother Darrell”

    Lampshade Ladies

    Diane Fitzgerald gets a ride in the side-car that has travelled to Sievers two years in a row from New Jersey.

   Guess where this “Accepted Offer” sign is located?  By now, the sale has been completed and this building is under new ownership.

A Family of Mittens with Kathleen Morris - November 22

Japanese Temari with Susan Greenfeldt AND Needle Felted Angel with Kathy Sorensen  - November 29

Quilting: Advanced Techniques, Better Basics with Ellen Graf - January 6-9

Needle Felt Embellishment with Jeanne Shay - January 12 - 14

Basket Totes with Jeanette Biederman & Rich Prange -                          January 16 - 18

Knitting Retreat with Sandy De Master - January 19 - 21

Japanese Temari with Susan Greenfeldt & Judie Yamamoto -             January 22 & 24

Beginning Weaving with Judie Yamamoto - January 26 - 29

Fast & Fun Random Warps w/ Connie Westbrook - February 2 - 5

Viking Knit Bracelet with Barbara Heike - Feburary 11

As you can see, we will have a few fun and busy months! 

Our yarn sale is still in progress with all yarns 30% off their original price (except wind-offs from coned yarn).  If you would like to call and order, we can ship it to you the next day.  We don’t have a catalog, but we’re able to see what is still available in the shop for you.

We have heard from two of our weaving instructors, Jean Hutchison and Louise French, that they are retiring from teaching at Sievers.  Both have contributed so much to our weaving program here, not only by giving their weaving students a wonderful set of skills but also by making helpful suggestions and contributing towards equipment purchases in the studio.  Together they also updated the look of the Teacher’s Cottage by rearranging the furniture and art work.  Part of their legacy includes a number of students who have gone on to become teachers at Sievers after taking classes with Jean and Louise.

  Jean Hutchison first came to Sievers as a student in Beginning Weaving in 1982.  Jean eventually became a weaving instructor in 1987 and has offered 66 classes since then with her last class, Lace Weaves held in September this year. In the photo above, Jean is on the right assisting a student in that class.  Jean has also been a student in 28 classes. 

  Louise French first came to Sievers as a student in Ecclesiastical Weaving in 1984.  Louise taught her first class here in 1999, offering 24 classes in these past 9 years, including the last class of 2008, Beginning Weaving where she is shown in the photo above on the left, assisting one of the students. 

Jean and Louise have taught many classes together, team-teaching Beyond Beginning and Weaving Workshop for several years.  They have also each taught with assistants who have gone on to become Sievers teachers as well as individually.  There is no doubt that our weaving program would not be what it is today without Jean Hutchison and Louise French.  We are grateful to them, wish them the best and hope to see them again as students!

Nature’s colors weren’t in the leaves alone.  Willow harvested from the patch behind the Walter Studio created a fall rainbow of their own.

What could be better than spending a crisp fall day enjoying the colors while knitting or weaving at Sievers?  

   The Creative Knitting Retreat Class taught by Sandy DeMaster and Mary Germain spent some time knitting inside and some time outside in the fall sunshine.

  Deb Sharpee’s Diamond Rag Rug class worked hard and had fun this past week.  These are two of three rugs woven by Pamm S.

Two classes are in session as of 2 p.m. this afternoon: Stained Glass Sweater Vest with Jeanette Biederman and Chair Caning with Rich Prange.  Our last class for 2008, Beginning Weaving with Louise French, will start Monday afternoon and finish on Saturday morning, October 25.  The consignment shop’s last official day will be Saturday, November 1st.  By then, plans for 2009 will already be in progress!