News from Sievers School

We began our 2008 classes on May 18th and finished just two days ago, on October 25th with our enrollment this year of 517 students.  Among those 517 students we had two firsts.  In Landscape Quilting we had our first man quilter and in Lace Weaves, our first student from the state of Idaho, completing our map of the U.S. with at least one student from each state.  Now that 2008 is “in the books”, 2009 is not far away!  We’ve already received replies with date choices from many of our teachers. 

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!

It has been an exceptionally beautiful Fall.  Some years there are select roads or locations on the Island that are perfect for Sunday (or any day) drives.  This year, the entire Island is showing the most vibrant reds, oranges and yellows on each and every road. 

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!

The weather was beautiful, the Friday workshops and evening program were fun, new, and interesting; the Saturday garage sale was a big hit as usual and the demonstrations that followed were engaging. Vendors brought an array of handmade baskets, jewelry and fiber art supplies. Items for the Student Fiber Art Exhibit and the Style/Quilt Show were inspiring.  The dinner was delicious and the music by Cindra and Dan was the “icing on the cake”.

 Each of the three workshops on Friday afternoon had 10 students.  Here Jo Campbell-Amsler is teaching the Baby Melon Basket Workshop.

Those who attended Stephanie Robertson’s Instant Silk Screen, Instant Fun and  Barbara Heike’s Viking Knit Bracelet workshops commented on how much fun they had in each.

Friday evening’s program, “Behind the Scenes” with Dick Purinton was a two-part program with the first half being photos from the Washington Island Ferry Line’s archives along with some “behind the scenes” looks at the Ferry Line.  The second half of the program introduced The Roundheads (bendable characters purchased at the Twice-Around Shop) posed in a number of different Island locations, including the Island Clinic, Ferry Dock and Sievers.  About 85 people attended Friday’s program. 

Thirteen of our instructors were introduced to the audience on Friday night.  They were: Jacki Bedworth, Jo Campbell-Amsler, Mary Curran, Christi Ehler, Diane Ericson, Ellen Graf, Barbara Heike, Donna Kallner, Stephanie Robertson, Lynn Schuster, Kathy Sorensen and Judie Yamamoto.

The Fiber Arts Garage Sale started early Saturday morning with items ranging from knitting needles to an antique dress form to a used 36″ Sievers Loom.  Proceeds from the garage sale were over $1400 with donations being made to the Sievers Scholarship Fund, the Washington Island Preschool and the Island Memorial Medical Fund. 

 (Diane Ericson’s Baskets From the Heart)

The vendors opened shop in the Sophie Studio while demonstrations were ongoing in the Walter Studio.  Here you can see Lynn Schuster demonstrating Coiled Basketry, Judie Yamamoto with Polymer Clay, Donna Kallner with ”Fiber Mojo”, Jeannie Shay with Needle Felting and Jacki Bedworth and Thelma Boeder in their re-enactment location near the Walter Studio:

The Style and Quilt Show featured everything from silk garments to felt hats to quilted and woven garments to queen-size bed quilts.  Mary Curran and Jo Campbell-Amsler coordinated and provided commentary for the show. 

The winners of our Student Fiber Art Exhibit were announced at this time with the top three votes going to: Cheryl Stewart with a landscape “confetti” quilt, Anne Landre with her Mother’s Day Project (stitched tribute to U.S. servicewomen who have died in Iraq), and to Judy Douglas for her tray basket using techniques learned in a Donna Kallner class.

Before dinner, a number of Gathering folks stopped into Fiddler’s Green for wine and conversation.  At the dinner, Maren Schutz, great-granddaughter of Sievers Founder Walter Schutz, played piano as background music.  The winners of the Silent Fiber Art Auction were announced at the dinner.  Thank you to all the instructors who generously donated handmade items for the silent auction where close to $1000 was raised.  In the past, proceeds from the Silent Auction have gone to install air conditioning in the studios as well as other equipment purchases.  Four $100 Sievers class gift certificates were given as door prizes.  The winners were:  Muriel Hanson, Ruth Kieffer, Cheryl Stewart and Lana Roberts.

Cindra and Dan topped off the evening at the TPAC with a wide range of songs that included ”You Are The Sunshine of My Life” , “Walkin’ After Midnight” and “Monster Mash” (in full costume, I may add).

Thank you so much to everyone who helped make this Gathering the best yet! (P.S. - We already have ideas for 2010!)