Sievers School of Fiber Arts

		Our Instructors
		Lorrie Grainger Abdo In 1995 Lorrie learned how to make handmade paper at Sievers. That weekend changed the direction of her professional life and she has not stopped playing with paper and pigments since! Her paper mosaic pieces feature the freedom of colorful expression through a surface design technique called paste painting, yet highlight precise craftsmanship as well. Lorrie is detailed in her instruction and fun with her delivery, encouraging students to play. Lorrie serves on the Handmade Paper Guild board, is a member of Signature Artists Cooperative, and teaches workshops throughout her home state of Michigan.
		Jackie Abrams Jackie has been a basketmaker since 1975, when she first apprenticed to an 81-year-old traditional White Ash basket weaver. Since 1990 she has explored plaiting techniques, the use of heavy cotton paper as a weaving material, and the possibilities of their use in contemporary basketry. Jackie exhibits her work at shows, galleries and museums. It has won awards and been included in numerous books. From her home in Brattleboro, VT, Jackie travels to teach throughout the U.S., Canada, Australia, and in Ghana, Africa.
		Nancy Adams Nancy’s interest in fibers and weaving ran the gamut from owning and raising her own flock of sheep, to spinning their fleece, to weaving with it. She came to Sievers in 1986 for her first weaving class, and has returned almost every year since that time for more. In 2002 she became an assistant instructor with longtime friend and fellow weaver Louise French for intermediate weaving classes at Sievers. Now Nancy is excited to have the opportunity to share her love of weaving by teaching it to others. Nancy makes her home in Rochester, MN.
		Carol Anderson Designer and owner of Cottage Creations, Carol publishes and supplies knitting patterns to over 500 shops nationwide. Her illustrated booklets have particular appeal for the advanced beginner or intermediate knitter and range from scarves to afghans to sweaters, with the “Wonderful Wallaby,” no doubt, her trademark design. A retired teacher of Special Needs students and mother of four, Carol lives with her husband Paul on their St. Ansgar, IA farm. “A perfect day,” says Carol, “includes at least two or three hours of knitting!”
		Jacki Bedworth After being in class taught by Jo Campbell-Amsler at Sievers in 1992, Jacki went on to specialize in creating traditional willow baskets. At her Grantsburg, WI home studio she cultivates almost a dozen varieties of willow for use in weaving. Jacki currently works as a historic interpreter at a reconstructed 1804 fur post, where she portrays “Makukewye” (Basket Woman). She also teaches workshops, demonstrates her craft at historic re-enactments and weaves baskets on commission for historic sites such as Plimoth Plantation.
		Jeanette Biederman Jeanette is an accomplished artisan whose work shows a great respect and appreciation for the history and lore of basketmaking. She enjoys working with color, and makes a wide variety of traditional and contemporary basket styles. Jeanette and her husband Rich Prange offer basketry classes at their Merrill, WI home studio, Tisket A Tasket, and teach throughout the Midwest. Interested in other fiber arts, Jeanette learned to make ‘Stained Glass’ Sweater Vests and Coats from their originator Linda Davis in a 2001 Sievers class and has continued to create more ever since, teaching it and selling her work in the Sievers Shop.
		Jo Campbell-Amsler Teaching throughout the United States for guilds, basket conferences and art schools, Jo instructs her students in rib-style techniques for baskets made of willow and other gathered materials. From her eastern Iowa home studio, Willow Ridge, she creates a wide range of baskets, from traditional forms to sculptural one-of-a-kind pieces. Jo’s work has been featured in magazines and books, and selected for numerous exhibits across the U.S. In September of 2011 she hosted a basket tour to Ireland, visiting with willow basket weavers there, and learning new skills and techniques.
		Betty Glynn Carlson Betty has been a weaver since 1972, but when she discovered Navajo weaving she felt a special kinship with this simple way to weave that invites stillness and reflection. In the Navajo tradition it has been said, “You must spin your warp threads strong enough to hold your prayers.” When Betty sits at her Navajo loom she seeks to honor this tradition. Each rug grows out of her contemplative practice, and in the process of weaving, the wool yarns are woven together with the threads of life. Betty’s rugs have been exhibited at juried shows in the Midwest, and she regularly teaches Navajo weaving at the Weavers Guild of MN.
		Mary Curran As an artist and teacher, Mary uses multiple media (fiber, paper, leather, found objects, etc.) to produce 2- and 3-dimensional work, which she shows and sells in Northeast Wisconsin. She believes that creativity is an essential cross-life skill, and includes tips and experiences in each of her classes. From her home in Green Bay, WI, Mary works with the local Arts Event Inc.’s Design Committee, operates her Twa Corbies studio, teaches at Swanstone Gardens’ nature craft school, and serves as a Reiki Master Practitioner.
		Sandy De Master An avid knitter since 1970, Sandy took up spinning in 1988 and soon began a life of raising and breeding Finnsheep and marketing their wool. Her main interest is in ethnic and traditional knitting, and she enjoys designing traditional mittens, socks and sweaters based on the patterns of Fair Isle and Shetland, Latvia, Estonia and Finland. Sandy and her friend and co-teacher Mary Germain co-published an article and pattern on Latvian knitting in Piecework magazine. They have taught knitting classes at Sievers since 1999, as well as throughout the Midwest, and offered Latvian Mittens classes on both coasts.
		Christi Eales Ehler Christi enjoys exploring many different on- and off-loom fiber techniques, including weaving and basketry. She finds inspiration in historic textile traditions from all over the world and in her love of nature, as well as in contact with fellow weavers and students. Past President of WI Handweavers, Christi has taught weaving to area guilds, and at the WI Spin-In and Midwest Weavers Conference. Her work has won awards at the WHI annual exhibit, other juried WI art fairs, and been featured in Handwoven magazine.
		Daniel Essig Born in St Louis, MO, Daniel studied at Southern Illinois U., Penland School and the U. of Iowa. In 2000 he moved to Asheville, NC where he maintains a full-time studio at Grovewood Gallery. Dan lectures and offers workshops at book centers, craft schools, colleges, and artist retreats as well as privately. He has created wooden and sculptural books for over 20 years and is a recipient of the NC Artist Fellowship Grant. His work is exhibited nationally and in numerous private and public collections, most recently the Smithsonian Renwick Museum, U. of Iowa Libraries and Topeka Library. Many of his sculptural pieces are featured in The Penland Book of Handmade Books.
		Mary Sue Fenner A Clothing, Textiles and Design major at U. WI-Stout, art studies at Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Polytechnic, England, Kansas U. and a UW-Milwaukee MFA gave Mary Sue an excellent background in fibers. A recently retired N.W. Technical College Marketing Communications teacher, she maintains a business, Fiber Designs, in her Abrams, WI home. Noted for use of bright colors and her own handspun yarns, Mary Sue’s clothing and accessories are seen in area shows, galleries and shops, and featured in Handwoven, Shuttle, Spindle & Dyepot, Belle Armoire, Altered Couture, Sew Somerset and Haute Handbags magazines.
		Diane Fitzgerald Creating with beads is Diane’s passion. Along with that, she loves to share it with others through writing and teaching. She is a frequent contributor of articles on the subject to magazines and is the author of 10 books. Her newest, Diane Fitzgerald’s Favorite Projects, is due out in March of 2012. Diane was the recipient of Bead & Button Magazine’s “Excellence In Bead Artistry Award” in 2008, and honored by the Textile Center of Minnesota with their “Spun Gold Award” in 2011, for her lifetime commitment to fiber arts.
		Marianne Fons A summer regular among the Sievers faculty for nearly 20 years, Marianne retired from teaching in 2001 to become co-owner and editor of Love of Quilting magazine. Now a part-time Washington Island resident, she returns to Sievers, her all-time favorite teaching venue. Marianne is well-known among quilters as author with Liz Porter of many best-selling quilting books including Quilter’s Complete Guide, and as host of Love of Quilting nationwide on public television, now co-hosted with her “quilty” daughter Mary Fons.
		Mary Fons Mary grew up around Sievers and has many heart and family connections to the Island. She has been making quilts for “4 glorious years,” and co-hosts PBS’s nationally aired Love of Quilting program with her Mom, Marianne. She is creator, co-producer and host of Quilty, an online show for rookie quilters now in its second year, and is Creative Director of Quilty magazine, set to launch in May 2012. Mary has a deep love for beginner quilters, and believes carrying the art of quiltmaking into the 21st century is pretty darned important. Visit www.heyquilty.com for more on the show and www.maryfons.com for more on Mary.
		Nancy Frantz Nancy’s weaving journey began in 1977 when she received a loom as a gift. Since 1985 she has shared her love of weaving and fiber arts with students through the Sheboygan Recreation Dept., from beginners and up, ages 6 – 86! Her work has won awards at county fairs, WHI Annual Shows, and Midwest Weavers Assoc. Conferences, including two “Weaving For The Home” Awards of Excellence from Interweave Press. Very active in the Sheboygan Shuttlecraft Guild, Nancy was Co-Chair of the 2005 MWA Conference.
		Mary Germain A knitter most of her life, Mary has taught knitting, weaving and other fiber arts since 1983, and was owner of The Wool Works yarn shop in Milwaukee from 1985-96. Her woven and knitted garments have won awards at the WHI Annual Shows and Harrisville Designs’ Convergence Contests. Inspired by a Latvian friend, Mary co-published a Latvian knitting article and pattern in Piecework magazine with friend and fellow teacher Sandy De Master. Trips to Latvia in 2001 and Estonia in 2005 provided Mary with more knitting inspiration, which she enjoys sharing with her students.
		Thomas Grade From Menasha, WI, Tom has a BFA degree in On- and Off-loom Fiber Techniques from U. WI-Milwaukee, and was among the first foreign artists admitted to Beijing, China’s Central Academy of Arts & Crafts (1982). His handmade paper and mixed media sculptures, known for their use of intense color, surface textures and pattern plays, are inspired by his world travels. Recent commissions include the Outagamie County Airport and Paper Discovery Center in Wisconsin. Tom actively promotes paper art across the state, as an instructor and through school Artist-In-Residence programs.
		Ellen Graf In 1992 Ellen made her first quilt in a class at Sievers. Since then, she has made many more and received numerous awards, including at the American Quilter’s Society Show in Paducah, KY, and the International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX. They have also been seen in Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine and the AQS Quilt Art Calendar. Ellen’s year-round home on Washington Island allows her to share her love of quilting in summer and winter classes at Sievers. Teaching enables her to share good technique, while encouraging students’ individual creativity.
		Chad Hagen Chad has explored the resist dyeing and surface design of hand felted wool since 1979, with BA and MS degrees from U-WI and MFA from Cranbrook. Her dyed, pieced, beaded and stitched felt work has been seen on the covers of Surface Design Journal, Shuttle, Spindle & Dyepot, and Fiberarts magazines and in major collections. Chad writes extensively on art and feltmaking, including 3 Lark books: Fabulous Felt Hats, Weekend Crafter: Feltmaking, and Fabulous Felted Scarves. She teaches workshops in the U.S. and Europe, and maintains a full-time studio in Asheville, NC.
		Rita Hagenbruch Inspired by textiles she has examined on her travels to Sweden, particularly those for the table, Rita’s weaving brings joy into her busy life. She loves to share this desire and inspire others through teaching, at conferences and workshops throughout the Midwest. Rita’s woven work has received the Handweaver’s Guild of America’s “HGA Award,” Woodstock (IL) Weavers Guild’s “Members’ Choice Award,” and been featured in Handwoven magazine, most recently her Lace Butterfly runner (May 2011) and her colorful Halvdräll runner (Nov. 2011).
		Judy Hasheider Judy’s main focus is on the traditional patterns and techniques that make quilting enjoyable, along with the friendships that evolve when quilters are together. Her work has been featured in American Patchwork & Quilting magazines and in the book Color Harmony For Quilts. She has taught quilting for over 25 years and gives instruction throughout the year at Stitcher’s Crossing in Madison, WI, as well as organizing and offering weekend retreats. Judy and her husband have 3 grown children and own a dairy farm near Sauk City, WI.
		Barbara Heike Barbara’s background is in fiber art, but wire-worked jewelry has a special appeal to her. Since learning and refining the techniques for Viking Knit jewelry, she has enjoyed working with this ancient art form and teaching it to others. Recently, her work was awarded Honorable Mention at the “Artists of the New North” exhibition at the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum, Neenah, WI. Barbara is an experienced horticultural educator and past Director of the Children’s Gardening Programs at the Green Bay Botanical Garden. She has taught beading and weaving classes at Sievers, throughout the Midwest and in her Green Bay home studio, Windflower Studio Arts.
		Mary Hettmansperger Fiber/jewelry artist, Mary exhibits and teaches jewelry, basketry, surface design and quilting across the U.S. and in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Singapore, at such as SOFA, Arrowmont, Bead & Button, Convergence, national conferences, guilds, etc. Her work is seen in books (Jewelry Design Challenge, 500 Baskets, Fiber Arts Design Book 7, Fabulous Found Object Jewelry, Beading With Crystals, and others), on television (PBS’s “Beads, Baubles & Jewels,” and “Quilting Arts”), and in numerous magazines. For Lark/Sterling she has authored and illustrated 4 books: Fabulous Woven Jewelry, Wrap, Stitch, Fold & Rivet, Mixed Metal Jewelry Workshop, and Heat, Color, Set & Fire.
		Flo Hoppe Full-time artist, teacher and author, Flo began her career in 1971, teaching herself basketmaking from a small booklet published in 1924. She lived in Japan and studied there with two master basketmakers. Her main emphasis is on wicker and Japanese basketry. Flo exhibits her work worldwide, and teaches throughout the U.S. as well as in England, Canada, Japan, Russia and Australia. Her published books are Wicker Basketry and Contemporary Wicker Basketry, the latter translated into German. Flo’s trip to Russia resulted in co-authoring a book in 2009 with Vladimir Yarish and Jim Widess, Plaited Basketry With Birch Bark.
		Deb Jones Living in Black River Falls, WI, Deb is an enthusiastic handspinner and has taught workshops throughout the state, including the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival. She is the owner of The Fiber Garden, a year-round fiber arts school, gift mercantile and fiber shop that has been featured in such magazines as American Small Farm, Impressions, and Positive Thinking. (More information can be found at: www.fibergarden.com) For Deb it’s a means to promote fiber arts and combine her love of spinning, teaching and country living!
		Donna Kallner In Donna's work, ancient textile techniques and old-school natural dyeing combine with new-school surface design and digital technologies to tell timeless stories. As a fiber arts teacher and writer, she helps others share their own stories in ways that are unique to each one of them. Donna teaches and exhibits her work across the country, and is the author of New Age Looping: A Handbook for Fiber Artists. Learn more at www.donnakallner.com or facebook.com/donnakallnerfiberart.
		Joyce Krueger An avid rug hooker since 1976, Joyce is an active member of the Assoc. of Traditional Hooking Artists, McGown Guild, and Cream City Rug Hooking Guild. She is an accredited McGown Teacher and has taught since 1984, at national and international rug schools, for private rug groups and in her Waukesha, WI home studio, covering all aspects of hooking. Joyce enjoys personalizing commercial patterns as well as helping students with original design ideas. She writes articles for and has her work featured in the ATHA and McGown Newsletters, Rug Hooking magazine, several rug hooking books, and has received awards for her rugs.
		Daryl Lancaster Daryl received her degree in Fine Arts in 1977. She has been sewing for more than 40 years, and has spent 10 years as a production weaver, selling her handwoven clothing in craftmarkets and galleries. She travels the country, teaching garment construction techniques to handweavers and surface designers, and exhibits her woven work nationally. Daryl was Contributing Features Editor for Handwoven magazine for 7+ years, and occasionally writes for various publications as well as her own blog (www.weaversew.com/wordblog). A breast cancer survivor, Daryl uses her work as a vehicle to express who she is and the path that she has travelled.
		Anita Luvera Mayer Living in beautiful Anacortes, WA, Anita is a designer of contemporary clothing inspired by ethnic originals, with finishes and embellishments done by hand. Her work, which is personal and often speaks to women’s issues, has been included in national and international exhibits. Anita is the author of 5 books and frequently presents articles in fiber publications. She believes there should be something magical and unique about what is worn each day, something to celebrate, and shares that concept with others through her workshops and lectures for a wide variety of guilds and conferences.
		Sylvie Nguyen From Cherry Valley, IL, Sylvie has had lifelong interests in fiber arts such as sewing, knitting and bobbin lace making. She has an MA degree in Adult Education, and is very active as a demonstrator, teacher and promoter of bobbin lace making, including the publication of a number of her tape lace designs. Sylvie also enjoys creative sewing, whether it be for the home, traditional garments, or a unique project. She especially likes to combine techniques when working with fabric, as well as sharing them with others through teaching.
		Kay Normann Starting in 1994 with Jeanette Biederman’s Beginning Basket class at Sievers, a passion was born for Kay. She now has a studio in her Arizona home, where she teaches friends to weave baskets. And, her friends bring their friends… After spending 22 summers on Washington Island, Kay and her husband sold their vacation home. She now returns to the Island and Sievers to weave in classes with fellow ‘basket babes’ she has met at Sievers, continuing their mutual love of basketry, and to teach Beginning Basketmaking with her good friend (and former Island neighbor) Drew Tibbetts.
		Carol Huebscher Rhoades Living in Madison, WI, Carol has researched traditional knitting in Scandinavia and has a special interest in the wools and techniques for traditional handspun and knitted garments, particularly those of Scandinavia and England. She is the Technical Editor of and frequent contributor to Spin-Off magazine, writes for Piecework, and translates Swedish, Norwegian and Danish knitting books into English. Carol’s teaching has taken her around the U.S., including to SOAR (Spin-Off Autumn Retreat) and the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival, as well as to England, Canada, Norway, Denmark and New Zealand.
		Stephanie Lewis Robertson Much like a musical conversation, Stephanie sings to her hand-dyed and –printed fabrics while she works, creating constructions that reflect her interest in spirituality, ritual, music and the power of women. Her current work includes images of labyrinths, spider webs, brain scans and text, and has been seen in area exhibits and shows. Stephanie’s day job is as the Program Chair for Fine Arts at Ivy Tech Community College in central Indiana. She lives in Indianapolis with her family of one husband and two cats. And, she is excited to be ‘coming back home’ to Washington Island and Sievers!
		Mary Jo Scandin Mary Jo's students are motivated in their surface design work by her enthusiasm for color and design, plus her sense of fun which she readily shares. She and her husband recently began a new chapter in their lives by moving to Minneapolis. Mary Jo anticipates creating a studio in their new space and to continue working with fibers and surface design on a regular basis. She has licensed and marketed her designs as posters, notecards and plaques, and 3 children's books feature her painted silk illustrations. Mary Jo is hoping to establish some art relationships in Minneapolis and continues to show her work at galleries in Door County.
		Lynn Stracka Schuster A handweaver and feltmaker since 1978, Lynn has expanded her interests to a wide and varied repertoire of fiber arts. She still enjoys handweaving and feltmaking, and has added silk ribbon embroidery, beadwork and coiled basketry to the list. Lynn’s work has been seen in a number of magazines, at art museums and galleries, and in the Sievers Permanent Collection. Lynn has offered classes at Sievers since 1981. She enjoys sharing her artwork and creativity through teaching, and believes that art is a celebration of life.
		Deb Sharpee Deb’s interest in weaving was first sparked as a small child, watching her grandmother weave rag rugs. She now can’t believe it has been over 25 years since she wove her first rag rug. Many miles of warp later, Deb has much to share with her students. Her work has been published in Weaver’s, Complex Weavers Journal, Crafts Report and Handwoven magazines, as well as in the book Weaving Contemporary Rag Rugs. Deb and her husband live on a small farm near Madison, WI, where she maintains a herd of angora goats.
		Robyn Spady Robyn is a fiber artist and master weaver who has been weaving for over 40 years. In 2004 she completed HGA’s Certificate of Excellence (COE). Weaving has always been a part of her life, beginning with the baby blanket woven for her by her great-grandmother on a loom that Robyn now has and uses daily. She teaches throughout the United States and Canada, and has authored many articles and publications. (See www.spadystudios.com for more information.) Robyn is committed to turning the weaving world on to four-shaft weaves, uncommon weave patterns, double-faced fabrics and narrow warp weaves.
		Harvey Stahl A Door County native who retired after 32 years with the DNR, Harvey has always been surrounded by the subjects of his wildlife carvings. He creates them by utilizing locally cut wood such as butternut, and collected pieces of driftwood. Harvey exhibits his work at The Clearing in Ellison Bay, WI, the town where he and his wife Rita make their home. Harvey has taught workshops for Elderhostel groups and enjoys instilling an appreciation for wildlife to all of his students, in addition to teaching them basic handcarving techniques.
		Drew Tibbetts 20 years ago Drew took her first basket weaving class from Jeanette Biederman at Sievers. Since childhood she had enjoyed all types of handcrafts, but after making that first basket, Drew knew she’d found her favorite. She feels so lucky to have summered on Washington Island for a number of years, giving her the opportunity each year to take more classes and improve her skills. Drew and husband Jim have now retired to the Island, and she looks forward to sharing her love of basket weaving and Sievers with aspiring new weavers, co-teaching with her friend and former neighbor Kay Normann.
		Connie Westbrook Connie discovered weaving at a local art fair and immediately knew sitting behind a loom was where she belonged. She has passionately pursued handweaving since her first Beginning class at Sievers in 2003, patiently and diligently studying the work of some of the most respected weavers in the country. She felt truly lucky when she was asked to join the Sievers staff in 2007. Connie is a volunteer weaver at the Island’s Farm Museum, active in study groups, has been published in Handwoven magazine, and recognized for her outstanding abilities as an innovative weaver. She believes weaving is meant to be shared, and is eager to teach others what she has learned.
		Heather Winslow As a fiber artist Heather specializes in nature-inspired, classical handwoven clothing. She envisions her garment designs as 3-dimensional sculpture, using subtle simplicity to adorn the body in a positive way and make the wearer feel “special” by the very act of putting them on. Heather loves teaching and does so locally at The Fine Line in St. Charles, IL, nationally and internationally. She is the author of More On Moorman: Theo Moorman Inlay Technique Adapted To Clothing, and numerous articles in fiber magazines such as Handwoven, Spin-Off and Weavers.
		Ken Workowski While paging through Mother Earth News magazine in 1977, Ken came across an article on building willow furniture—the perfect opportunity to combine his carpentry skills with his love of nature. Thus began a home business for Ken and his wife Michelle, The Nature of Things, building home furnishings that use such materials as willow, birch and poplar bark. They craft furniture, baskets, lamps and shades, brooms, mirror frames, and one-of-a-kind pieces, selling their creations through art shows and shops across the U.S., and enjoying their self-sufficient lifestyle.
		Judith T. Yamamoto Judie enjoyed her Beginning Weaving class at Sievers in 1981 so much, she just kept coming back for more. Now she teaches and lectures nationally, and writes about weaving and related topics for magazines. Notable for its use of color and blending, her woven work and polymer clay jewelry have been featured in Handwoven magazine and seen at a variety of fiber shows, galleries and shops. Judie lives on Washington Island and demonstrates handweaving at the Farm Museum on an antique loom she and her husband restored.
		Our Staff
		Howard & Ann H. Young, Owners Ann’s involvement with Sievers began in 1979, when founder Walter Schutz asked her to be General Manager of the school. She soon became an enthusiastic weaving student and later a basic weaving instructor. Over the years she was more and more involved in the school’s operation and, when Walter retired in 1987, Ann and her carpenter husband Howard (Butch), became the owners of three businesses—Sievers School, Sievers Looms and Sievers Benchwork, a modular table system for model railroad hobbyists. In 1989 Ann added a retail consignment shop, selling the fiber arts and fine crafts made by the teachers and students.
		Cindra Hokkanen In 1986 Cindra began working in the office for Walter Schutz and hasn’t strayed since! She thoroughly enjoys the variety of her duties at Sievers, such as writing and editing the school brochure and web site copy, registering students, working with the consignment artists and inventory, processing mailed and online inquiries and orders, and interacting with the many Sievers visitors. Cindy and her husband Tom, who teaches at the local K-12 school, are both active in a number of Island organizations and groups. Her favorites are singing and community theater.
		Carolyn Foss Carolyn has worked at Sievers since 1990, even returning in the summer when she and her family spent six years in Washington State. Besides bookkeeping, Carolyn is the Sievers photographer whose pictures are seen in the brochure, online newsletter and Facebook page that she created and maintains. She is also responsible for the yarns, book and supplies in the shop, and sometimes has the pleasure of giving an impromptu knitting lesson to a visitor. In addition to knitting, Carolyn enjoys reading, and walking or jogging her way through quiet Island mornings.