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. 

Sievers School of Fiber Arts

I was a student in the weeklong "Beginning Weaving: Floor Loom" workshop, held in June of this year, at the Sievers School of Fiber Arts. The school is located on the north side of Washington Island, WI.

Before the workshop commenced, I spent time touring the school buildings and the wonderful Sievers Gift Shop!

The school was originally set up to feature weaving classes.  Offerings have since

expanded to include other fiber arts.

Below:Administration building and gift shop.

Side entrance to the gift shop.


There were many temptations inside the Sievers Gift Shop!  These photos,

taken with permission, give you a glimpse of the wonderful goods available 

there.

I kept visiting this beautiful basket (below).  In the end, the large basket came home with me!






A Sievers loom is on display in the gift shop!  Weaving demo’s are done on 

this loom.

The refurbished barn across the street offers event space and a women’s dormitory.




This building is the “Teacher’s Cottage”.


The Sophie Studio houses looms for weaving classes.  My next blog post will

feature many photos taken inside this studio.




Walter Studio is adjacent to the the large barn.  A Shibori Dyeing class was being

held in this studio.

Scenic Washington Island, WI

I took many photos while on my trip to Washington Island, WI last month. 

Here are some photos for you to view!

 

I stayed at the Inn at Frog Hollow, while on Washington Island.

Jackson Harbor, an old fishing village, is pictured below.  Rock Island is in

the distance in the first photo.

Schoolhouse Beach, on the north side of Washington Island.  The smooth

limestone rocks that line the beach are quite unusual . . . and protected.

Norwegian Stave church.

Trip to Washington Island, WI

I recently traveled northeast, from Madison to Washington Island.  I was last there 

in 2017, enjoying a weeklong vacation!  The purpose of this trip was to take a 

weaving class offered by the Sievers School of Fiber Arts.  I will cover Washington 

Island sights, and Sievers and the weaving class, in the next few blog posts.

The class started June 14th.  My travel started early on Sunday morning June 13th.

I took a slightly scenic route from Madison to Manitowoc, and on to northern 

Door County.  After stopping in Manitowoc for coffee and food, I headed north.  

My original plan to stop in Two Rivers was shelved due to major road work 

on highway 42.  I created my own detour around the construction, ultimately

arriving in Kewaunee.  A pretty Lake Michigan coastal town, Kewaunee offered 

an interesting antiques mall for exploration.  It didn’t look large from the outside, 

but it is, in fact, quite cavernous!

Photo: Lake Michigan breakwater, at Kewaunee.  As you can see, I had a 

beautiful day for my road trip!

Below:  Kewaunee Antiques Mall

I found a nice vintage tablecloth at this mall.

After my stop in Kewaunee, I drove on to Algoma.  My “must see” list

included the Quilted Fish, a small store packed full of fabrics and other goods.

The owner and fellow customers were very friendly and welcoming.

After my quilt shop stop I “put the pedal to the metal” to make up for time lost

due to slow service at my earlier restaurant stop and, due to road construction.

I beelined through pretty Door County towns.  I made a stop at a grocery 

store in Sister Bay to pick up some refrigerated goods (I had a cooler with me).

When I reached the Washington Ferry Dock, in Northport, a ferry had just

arrived.  I had less than a five minute wait before driving onto the ferry!

Current roundtrip cost for a car and driver is $41.  A ferry employee told

me that on summer weekends, the ferries travel back and forth as quickly as

possible . . .the printed schedule basically doesn’t apply.  This worked out

well for me, both coming and going!  The half hour ride to Washington

Island is quite pretty!

Photos below:  onboard the ferry, approaching the Washington Island ferry dock.