Just returned from a 5-day class (Monday to Friday) at Sievers School of Fiber Arts located on Washington Island, in Lake Michigan just off the tip of Door County. This is the fourth year that college friend Linda (from Illinois) and I have met there to take a class and enjoy each other's company.
The weather was not great -- a bit chilly for late June and several rainy days -- but I enjoyed having a second lilac season this spring. The first few days we were there was peak lilac time, beautiful and great smells.
This bush was right outside our motel room.
Linda and I had both decided to do overshot weaving patterns. We were in a beginning weaving class but believed our experience (Linda's far more extensive than mine) would enable us to handle these more difficult projects. Not quite true. . . . We took up far more of the instructor's time and energy than any of the beginning students and were very frustrated much of the time.
The studio facilities and equipment are very nice, and our instructor Nancy and her assistant Susan were both incredibly knowledgeable and PATIENT! There were a total of eight students, four of whom had done no previous weaving, two of whom had done previous classes and a little weaving, and Linda and I who have been weaving for years. The beginners were incredibly impressive with their fast learning times and ability to produce. Four of the students completed two different projects.
Here's Linda diligently working at her loom.
We spent most of the first three days getting the warp on the loom, leaving only a day and a half to finish the table runners we were each making. But we did finish! Of course, I still have to do the hemming in order to use the runner, but the weaving was completed by the end of class at 11 a.m. Friday. I was quite pleased since it was a complicated pattern, and I had been ready to settle for a place mat instead of a table runner.
Rather than rush to the ferry at the end of class on Friday Linda and I had decided to stay on until Saturday morning, giving us some time to explore the island and do some sightseeing. Unfortunately, it rained all day Friday so not much sightseeing could be done. We did visit the two lavender shops on the island (the first lavender growing began a few years ago) and the mercantile which indeed had a bit of everything -- furniture, hardware, appliances, paint, cleaning products, etc., etc., and a few tourist souvenirs. We also had lunch and dinner at two nice restaurants and returned to Fiddler's Green, our lunch location, for some evening music where Cowboy, the dog, continued to be a gracious host greeting all visitors.
Saturday I caught the 9 a.m. ferry for the half hour trip back to mainland Door Co., Wisconsin, and the start of the 6 1/2 hour drive home to Minnesota. Here's the view from the boat as we pulled away from the Island and a photo of the ferry heading to the Island that we met halfway. As the pictures show, it was still gray and gloomy. There was a lot of fog for about the first hour of my drive.
All going well, Linda and I will probably return for another class next year. Gluttons for punishment, I guess!
