Knitting Retreat, Sievers School of Fiber Arts

October 2025 was a great time to visit Washington Island, WI.  I was there to attend my first-ever knitting retreat.  An intermediate knitter at best, I was game to attend a retreat with fellow knitters!  It was a great experience all around.

The "Open Studio Knitting Retreat" took place from Oct. 7th - Oct. 12th.  I journeyed to Washington Island, WI one day ahead of time.  I stayed at the Inn at Frog Hollow, a charming B & B I'd stayed at before. The entire experience was wonderful.  Fellow knitters at the retreat were very welcoming.  Many have been attending this retreat for years.  The retreat typically fills quickly once registration opens.  There was an instructor-lead knitting class running concurrently in the other studio. Those knitters were friendly as well. The staff at Sievers is top notch. Don't hesitate to go there if the chance arises!

I took the Washington Island ferry on October 6th, arriving a day ahead of the retreat.  The day was initially blustery.  The weather improved upon arrival on the island.  I drove around on the island.  I visited Schoolhouse Beach.  Eventually I stopped in at the Sievers School of Fiber Arts gift shop.  It's simply the best gift shop around, especially for those who are into fiber, basketry, and other handmade goods. 

Photos are pure eye candy!  Some show scenes from Sievers, the world’s cutest dog spotted outside a gift shop, the Inn at Frog Hollow, signage at the knitting retreat, and, riding on the ferry to and from Washington Island.  Oh, and there’s a “class” photo too!  I'm in the row that's standing. I'm wearing an orange print shirt.  Last photo shows the two shawls I worked on while at the retreat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All text and images ©️Suzanne Myers Otto

Beginning Weaving: Floor Loom

In June, 2021, I had the great fortune to take a beginning weaving class at the Sievers School of Fiber Arts.  The class was taught by Susan Frame, of Osseo, WI.  Susan was an excellent, patient teacher.

The weaving class took place in the Sophie Studio at Sievers. We learned to weave on Schacht

Baby Wolf looms.

The lighter colored loom in the bottom right of the picture below is the newest acquisition for the school.  The classroom Schacht looms are made of maple.  Maple darkens with age.

The type of yarn we used for our two projects (table runners and/or scarves) was pre-selected for us.  We did get to choose our own colors to work with.  We used "Cotton Fleece" yarn for the first project and "Cotton Fine" yarn for the second project.  Both yarns are by Brown Sheep Company, Inc.

The loom shown below is the one I used in class.

Teacher samples of table runners are hanging on the rack.  These represent 

what we made as our second projects.

Winding yarn onto a warping board.  Susan (teacher) showed us how to move the warp 

from the board to the loom.  We warped our looms from front to back.

Photos below: first one shows the 12 dent heddle in position for "sleying" the reed.  

This is one method of doing this task (there are others).  Subsequent photos show 

warping the loom, hemstitching, and finally, weaving!  We used a twill weave setup.

Different patterns are created depending on what colors you use and in what order

you use those colors.  I like the blue and white color combo!

Once our first pieces were off the loom, we chose colors for our second project, a 

"gamp".  Often these are done in a rainbow of colors.  We were free to choose our

own colors.   As you can see, I opted for jewel tones (my favorites). Students could

pick up to 7 colors plus a border color, or, use repeats of several colors.  The loom was

warped in a prescribed order.  The goal was to weave 7 blocks x 7 blocks, following a

pattern.  Some students repeated the pattern.  After weaving my seven blocks, I 

decided to weave free form to finish my table runner.

Photo of me, taken by a classmate (Mary).

 

Shown below:  My table runners, draped over a beautiful basket I purchased at the Sievers Gift

Shop.  The table runners still need a bit of finishing work.  I am pleased with how they 

turned out.  I learned a LOT in this class! 

Class photo and "graduation" certificate.