Education values have focused on farm and family, with art styles and types of art media from oil paints to digital art, allowing the Decker Colony students to learn there are no regrets in life, just lessons to be learned. 

In 2020 the Decker Colony School was awarded a three-year “Artist in the Schools” grant from the Manitoba Arts Council, with local artist Joan Trott of Hamiota. The project titled “Building on our Foundation to Make Global Communications through Art” was brought forth in the program’s first year. There were introductions to traditional arts and crafts like carving with local carver Judy Perkins, and to basket and wheat weaving and candle-making with Elias Wipf. 

Year Two study, again under the guidance of Trott, is now complete. The goal was to study Hutterian history and develop an understanding of present-day community through an exhibition of stories, books and art. The exhibition, “Decker Hutterian Brethren… A Journey,” is the result of that learning. 

“The exhibition is set up in chronological order from European history to present day,” Trott said. 

“It ran for a month and a half, but unfortunately the Heritage Arts Centre in Hamiota had to close due to coronavirus restrictions. Only virtual viewing was available on Mid-West Arts Council’s Facebook or website. 

Mid-West Arts administrator Allison Gardham created the virtual tour with Mark Waldner, colony school principal, and with Trott, writing the narrative explaining the exhibition. 

“Students have learned to express their humour, their joy, their understanding of history and their empathy for those who have also experienced discrimination, and most of all, their interest in learning,” Trott said. “One of the hardest lessons in life is letting go, as the Hutterian Brethren has had to do, experiencing prejudice, discrimination and persecution.” 

Also part of the exhibition is a display of hand-made products from the colony — woodworking, gift packs, knitting, handmade chocolate, German language guided reading books created by teacher Kathy Waldner, and other items available through curbside pickup by contacting the arts administrator. 

“The 2021 exhibition is a combination of ‘where we came from and the journey to who we are,’“ said Waldner. “This is your opportunity to see the Decker Colony community through their own eyes — and wonderful talent. We hope you enjoy it!” 

Trott, who has just completed her seventh Artist in the School program for the Manitoba Arts Council since 2007, feels blessed to be working with such a remarkable and talented student body, summing up the experience, as a lesson in life — a lesson enriched in creativity and joy. 

The post Artistic talents showcased at Decker Colony appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

— Michael Bridge

With COVID-19 hanging over the entire world like a depressing grey cloud, I am quite content to stay home in order to help ‘flatten the curve,’ since I have a few tasks begging to be finished.

There is bedding sitting on my sewing machine, stories on my computer and a new venture waiting for me in the attic. The new venture won first place. I decide to crochet a rug for our back door, where its rich hues and homemade warmth will welcome all who enter. I’ve crocheted doilies, afghans, potholders and other small items, but never a rug. The idea of working with a cumbersome rug draped over my lap, never appealed to me. Until now.

An ample amount of yarn, tucked away in the attic of my new home, kept calling me to do something with it: one never knows where the next nudge to create will originate. A loving mother had unravelled sweaters and meticulously sorted and stored this yarn, likely dreaming of creating lovely rugs. However, God saw fit to take her home.

I didn’t know Sara well, having met her only once. From all accounts, she was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother – whose beautiful family I adopted by marrying Michael. I am humbled, that in God’s divine plan, I am now part of her family, blessed by the work of her capable hands and loving heart.

Kneeling beside barrels and boxes brimming with beautiful yarn, in a variety of hues, felt strange at first – like I was going through someone else’s belongings. As my eyes scanned the multicoloured skeins, I wondered which ones Sara would have chosen to make a rug. I held up a green and a black ball towards the light. Would she have liked this combination? Or perhaps she would rather have gone for something bright, like blues and yellows? I finally settled on a mixture of red and white contrasted by shades of grey. I put my selections into two tuckers, dragged them downstairs and started mixing and winding a number of thin strands to form one thick one. A few hours later I had two large balls of yarn ready for my project. I was excited about trying this traditional Hutterite skill.

Crocheted rugs have graced Hutterite homes for many decades. Years ago they were simply made, following no particular pattern, using mostly leftover balls of yarn from knitting stockings and mittens. Repurposing yarn from unravelling sweaters was also quite common. Today, complex patterns are used to create attractive works of art, which sometimes requires new yarn.

My rug leans more towards simple, as the pattern consists only of interchanging four rounds of red, and then four rounds of grey. Still, grey and red will look striking in a rug. If nothing else, it will always serve as a reminder that it was created during the coronavirus lockdown. Grey, for the dismal veil hanging over the whole world right now, I muse, as I start crocheting, admiring the contrasting hues. Red signifies strength, hope and determination to stay positive through this pandemic.

I’ve always found my crocheting hobby relaxing and gratifying. My mind meanders, as hook in hand, timeless treasures are turned out. It’s also an ideal time to dream, reflect, plan and listen to music, pondering messages in the songs.

As I make my way through another round, I hum along with Amos Raber, playing on my phone:

If you read the paper and turn on the news,

It doesn’t take long and you’ve got the blues…

There’s better times a-coming, but they ain’t here yet…

I wonder what’s in store for us with this vicious virus. It’s mind boggling to think that this pandemic has most of the world in the same predicament. I tried to imagine what our Easter holy days would feel like as I worked. Here in my new colony, we’d already postponed baptism and the same would be true for communion. I ponder the plagues God sent over the Egyptians, before freeing His chosen people, Joseph’s descendants, from bondage, since it’s basic to our annual communion service preparation teachings. This year, the mere mention of plagues will strike a raw chord, as one is leaving a devastating trail around the globe.

Numerous questions churn in my brain: Are we being careful enough? What colony would have the first corona case? Would we lose loved ones? What will students have lost, when school resumes? When will I see my family next? This was highlighted when I heard that my eighty-four-year-old mom, who doesn’t quite understand this social distancing, keeps asking, “Why does Linda no longer come to visit?”

Visions from yesteryear scroll through my mind when Mom was still crocheting rugs. After every few rounds she was on the floor with her creation, patting it down, stretching it in all directions, then standing up and tramping it down, all to get it to lie flat. Sometimes she simply had to unravel it and start over.

Yanking days of work apart, she stated, “Ich erger mich la anmol. I’m only perturbed once.” I can relate to all of it, as this is my first rug and I have done a fair share of my own yanking. Watching me one evening, Michael reassuringly, but with a hint to mirth, whispers, “I promise not to tell anyone how often you’ve unravelled it.”

I started out with no pattern, just advice from my sister, Sonia and my Aunt Susie and my own crochet experiences. Apparently that is not enough. Finally I got my hands on a pattern. However, I could make no sense of it, as the abbreviations were nothing like the ones in my crochet books. It may as well have been from China.

Then one day, our minister, Eddy Vetter and his wife, Judy Basel stopped by. I told her of my dilemma and she was able to explain the pattern to me since she’s used the same one many times. The symbols indicating the various stitches are still strange, but at least I understand them now and my rug is growing again. Best of all, I don’t have to spend so much time on the floor trying to tramp and stretch a bubbly rug into submission. It’s gratifying to see my once unruly rug lie beautifully flat.

Woven into my rug are a few heartfelt prayers: asking God to protect family and friends, to give wisdom, strength and courage in dealing with this pandemic, and patience while we stay home until this plague is contained. I pray for our leaders, health-care workers, truckers and businesses… all of whom strive to keep us safe, and ensure needed supplies are available. I thank God for His protection, love and omnipotence during this anxious time, the friend who lent me a stack of German novels, family and friends who call and write, the cooks who prepare delicious meals for us to take home, for my family, and the lovely Easter lily with which my husband just surprised me.

I’m reminded of a drama we did years ago, “Grandma Says.” In it, Grandma is always knitting. All day long, while family and friends stop to share their worries and woes. Each time, Grandma, barely looking up, calmly offers advice, but keeps on knitting, which serves to frustrate her visitors. After each one leaves, Grandma prays for them. The message is simple, yet timeless: stay busy, stay calm, trust and pray.

Hopefully in the years ahead, I’ll become more like this wise Granny – something to work towards. Nonetheless, thanks to Sara’s stash of skeins, I’m hooked on my new hobby.

And I long for the day when everything will return to something approaching normal. Until then, my ‘work of the heart’ will help fill these COVID-19 isolation weeks. I’m grateful for this skill and my supply of resources to engage in this immensely therapeutic work.

Linda Maendel is author of Hutterite Diaries and she now writes for Crystal Spring Colony, where she’s relocated to, due to her marriage.

The post Work of our hearts appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Although the mainstay of C & J Wood Works has been just that — whether it’s creating something new, refinishing a treasure or doing a little repair work — the business has expanded to offer upholstery and restoration. They can even replace a zipper in heavy material.

“We enjoy working with our customers, bringing something old or an antique back to life or designing from scratch,” said John. “Presently we are working on a treasured heirloom (rocking chair) once thought of being thrown out, only to remain in the family.”

While helping to repurpose and refresh items from the past is a natural fit for a woodworking outfit, another popular aspect of C & J Wood Works is the creation of game boards.

“From a specialty standpoint, game boards such as Aggravation or Rummoli have been among crafted items to stand out as popular sellers,” said John, adding that outdoor furniture is another big draw.

Craftsmanship doesn’t occur overnight, though, said Lynne, a retired nurse.

“Some basic training from the outset has been beneficial, however, we have come to learn experience is the best teacher.”

Part of that experience is being passed on to the next generation. John and Lynne consider themselves fortunate to get a helping hand from their grandson, Chris, when he is home from his job at the potash mine in Rocanville, Sask.

“It’s safe to say Chris truly has a knack for working with wood,” said John, adding that Chris prefers working on a larger scale. “While a table on display made by him while attending Assiniboine Community College in Brandon gained praise, as a carpenter he would rather be focusing on a large-scale project such as a house.”

The Hoggs have also enjoyed collaborating with a fellow Shoal Lake business, Allen’s Machine Works & Steel Art Silhouettes. A number of pieces have been created using a unique mix of wood and metal. John also finds inspiration at auction sales, where a piece of furniture may catch his eye. Using his skills, John breathes new life into the pieces, which he then sells to a new home.

Looking back, it’s interesting to see how one thing leads to another. Lynne said the idea of starting the business came about partly because a suitable space was available at just the right time.

“The availability of the building spurred on the idea of a woodworking business,” she said.

As a retired teacher who also made a living off the land southeast of the community, John was ready to turn a retirement hobby into something more.

The size of the former grocery store, which now houses C & J Wood Works, allows space for both production and display. Business is drawn from the Shoal Lake area, but also across the province and Canada. C & J’s craftsmanship of toys, household and recreational wooden pieces is regular fare at local craft sales.

The post Shoal Lake woodworking business going strong for nine years appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

“All of the different pieces of wood have their natural colours and no stain or paint is applied,” Wipf said. He has shared his artistic talents as a teacher at the Decker Colony School for 22 years.

Intarsia is the making of decorative and pictorial mosaics by laying precious, exotic woods onto groundwork of solid wood. Works like these are seen in the histories of Ancient Egypt, Rome, Persia, Japan, Germany and Italy. It is an artwork that has almost been forgotten, although now it’s gradually coming back with artists doing work on a large- or small-scale basis.

Wood pieces of the creation are separately, delicately and carefully cut, then shaped and sanded. The shaped pieces are then assembled into a beautiful mosaic, fixed onto a solid back, finished with a semi-lustre varnish, and displayed.

“Every piece of intarsia has unique features and every piece is special to me,” said Wipf. “Once it has reached its final stage, it’s just an awesome reward, and I take great pleasure in sharing a number of rewards with those interested on and off the colony.”

Sharing his expertise for this type of artwork now includes five high school students from the Oak River Colony, which is part of the Rolling River School Division, along with a group of students from the Decker Colony, which is among communities within the Park West School Division.

While Wipf may sell some of the intarsia pieces to people who directly approach him or to those who see the work done at the local level such as in his classroom, it’s not all about the money.

“I cherish giving such projects as gifts to loved ones or elderly people who would otherwise never have a chance of having such unique work of their own,” said Wipf. “In reality, paying for the wood and the time that goes into the making of this type of art is priceless. Unless one has created, people don’t truly understand the hours it takes to bring forth a creation.”

Wipf’s teachings go beyond intarsia, as students also gain in-depth instruction in such arts and crafts as basket and wheat weaving, pottery and wood burning.

“At the end of the school year, usually the second-last day, a celebration of learning is staged where students display work they produced over the year,” Wipf said. “Everyone is invited to come to this classroom celebration, a wonderful display of art brought forth by a unique group of creative minds and hands.”

The post Teaching the art of intarsia appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Handcrafters, artists and designers of all types of artisanal goods depend on these events for the exposure it provides and the revenues it can generate to support their small businesses.

The show now goes on long after the frenzied holiday shopping season ends too, thanks to online marketing.

Founder of Etsy Sellers of Manitoba, Amanda Reimer wanted to see more businesses like her own grow when she created an online Etsy team focused on Manitoba handcrafters she describes as “just like the little church bazaar but on a bigger scale.”

Reimer started her vintage silver jewelry-making business Silver Moose Arts in a home-based studio in rural Manitoba in 2013, and immediately put her wares for sale on Etsy. She was soon selling to customers all across Canada and the U.S. and beyond.

“I’ve shipped my stuff all over to the world, to Japan, to Egypt. The only place I haven’t shipped yet is Africa,” she said in an interview from her home in Landmark.

Knowing many more makers like herself, she was soon looking for ways to help others sell online and expand their market reach too.

Online options

She started Etsy Sellers Manitoba in 2014 as a way to support others in similar kinds of home-based businesses.

Their group began with the Manitoba Etsy Seller Support Facebook Page now the creator and host for an Etsy Boutique Pop-Up at Scattered Seeds.

“I created it as a Facebook group to try and bring aware- ness to people that if you shop on Etsy there’s a whole community right here in Manitoba that they can shop from,” she said. Not long afterward the Facebook group became an official Etsy Team — Etsy Sellers Manitoba.

Those familiar with Etsy know it’s a popular online site to post and sell either handmade products or vintage items 20 years or older. Sellers use it as an easy way to reach a vast market of potential customers while buyers love it for the one-of-a-kind handmade and vintage items they find there.

“Obviously, we’re not discouraging people to shop globally,” said Reimer. “We’re just encouraging them to support local as well and also it’s a support for the local Etsy sellers.”

As an Etsy Team they’re aiming to be inclusive, support each other, and collaborate rather than compete, she said.

“And we’re rural friendly,” she said. “We’ve been out to Brandon and Morden and Steinbach and we’re trying to get out and reach more places.”

Simple setup

Joining in is as easy as logging on to their site and following the prompts. There are some requirements for selling on Etsy — including paying small selling, listing, transaction and payment processing fees — but there’s no other requirements other than being respectful of other sellers. That means no copying of other’s ideas and work and courteous interactions are required between vendors, said Reimer.

They host sales and markets and workshops which help new sellers go over how to make the most of an Etsy shop and the role social media plays in it. Those shy if they aren’t familiar enough with social media to participate needn’t be, said Reimer.

“Gosh, no. You’ll learn the basics. And I can do a social media workshop. I’m not an Instagram genius but I could do a social media workshop if that was needed.”

They also have a mentor program to pair a new seller with someone already selling to get some extra help and encouragement.

Community

Ultimately, this is all about encouraging community and collaboration between participating sellers, said Reimer. It’s especially important for those running home-based businesses who need to connect to others.

Etsy Sellers of Manitoba was created to help everyone succeed as an Etsy seller while bringing greater profile to local handcrafters, she said.

“We can uplift each other and choose to encourage each other and share ideas rather than just feeling like we’re all behind closed doors and hiding from each other,” she said.

“We’re all in this to grow our own craft and our own businesses,” she said. “We should be in it for community reasons. I personally feel that that’s what the maker community is.”

There are presently about 120 sellers on the Etsy Sellers Manitoba team now but hundreds more Manitobans sell on Etsy, she noted.

Reimer was a speaker during the Take the Leap Rural Entrepreneurship conference in Dauphin last month where she talked about the networking and partnerships valued by the maker movement. The term is widely used to describe the burgeoning numbers of independent handcrafters, artisans, inventors, and designers who regular use technology and commerce to market their products.

More information about Etsy Sellers Manitoba can be found at: etsysellersofmanitoba.com/.

The post Online community supports Manitoba’s burgeoning maker movement appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

They don’t take a full closet for granted. Earlier generations didn’t have one, and it took a long time to make anything to wear, say the two 12-year-olds at Miami School.

“We have it much better than they did,” says Dyck.

They learned about that last year while in Mrs. Elaine Owen’s Grade 6 social studies class — where they also learned to card and spin wool and to knit and crochet.

Owen introduced fibre studies and handcrafting into her Grade 6 classroom a couple of years back while looking for a new way to teach social studies, with its focus on Manitoba becoming a province.

“I was thinking about something unusual I could do with my kids that might stand out in their minds,” she said.

• Read more: Quilts warm hearts of L’Arche Homes residents

What better way, she thought, for them to connect with the values of their own families, and to respect hard work, she thought, than by having them learn to make small items of clothing, and understand the processes that go into it.

She didn’t set out to teach all that herself, though. A self-described “OK knitter” she called on the youngsters’ grandmothers, who were happy to come to class and demonstrate knitting and crocheting techniques. While little fingers kept busy, they heard about how past generations made do, while seeing how great it is to know how to make things yourself, says Owen.

They’ve learned to appreciate that something handmade is valuable in other ways too.

“If Grandma or Auntie gives you a scarf or tuque or mitts or whatever they’ve made, they’ve put a lot of their time and love into it,” says Owen.

Donations

The resources to do this came from a community as excited about the idea as Owen was.

“People have been very kind,” she says.

Fundraising by the parent council produced two spinning wheels for the classroom. Antique drum carders were donated. Owen wrote to the Scottish Tartan Authority about what they were doing and received a package of swatches and information about tartans. She connected with Briggs and Little Woolen Mill, Canada’s oldest woollen mill and it sent them a beautiful box of wool samples. Owen was so excited about that she had her class actually phone the mill’s owner and ask questions about the mill for a history lesson.

Of course, all the yarn, wool and needles are donations too. “I’m lucky I have so many drawers in my classroom,” she says. “They fill up quickly.”

But they empty out fast too. She tells her students people have donated to this, so it’s important to give back too.

“So our motto is ‘make one item for yourself, make one item to donate,’” she said.

The students have given items they’ve made, like scarves and neck warmers, to Genesis House shelter in Winkler and Main Street Project in Winnipeg.

Meanwhile, this focus on fibre makes the difficulties of Canada’s earlier generations so much more real. While they work on their projects, they’re learning about fair trade, the monetary value of labour and relations with First Nations people too.

“We’ve talked about the Coast Salish Knitters,” says Owen. That group integrated its own ancient wool-working traditions with those of the Scottish and English settlers to make the iconic Cowichan sweater. But they weren’t always paid fairly for them, says Owen. To bring that point home, she had her students, familiar already with how long it takes to knit something, sit down and calculate how much time it would take to make one of these sweaters.

“We looked at wages and time and cost of the yarn. We had watched a video and read about how originally they were getting paid less than $50,” she said.

Ongoing

Her main hope is that these studies are creating “something that will last” among her students, she continues.

“Lots of these kids have these skills from their moms and aunts and grannies,” she said. “It’s important to keep that connection strong.”

Clearly, the kids enjoy it all. So much so, many continue on with their knitting and crocheting projects after Grade 6 in a lunch hour fibre club at school.

That’s the club that Dyck, who is now in Grade 7, is in. She’s made slippers and scarves, and even tuques using a circular loom.

“It’s a lot of fun to learn how to knit and crochet,” she says.

Her friend, Alyssa Bruce, agrees. She’s made needle felting pictures to give as Christmas presents. Now she’s making a scarf. This is a fun club and she likes what she’s learning in it, she said.

“It will help me when I’m older. If I need to repair something or make a scarf, I will know how to, instead of going to buy one.”

The post Wool studies help students see value of hard work — and generosity appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Warm fall colours and cosy textures are great additions to take you from summer to winter. This doesn’t mean that your décor has to be dark and gloomy but think about switching out light, summer fabrics, such as curtains, for textural, medium- to dark-coloured fabrics on the windows and on furniture. Comfy furniture throws and toss cushions in rich, earthy tones will stave off those winter blues and create a cocoon of comfort on chilly days.

Change the bedding to reflect the colours of the season and also trade in the light blankets for comfy quilts, duvets and blankets. Flannel sheets are soft against the skin and offer comfort during the cold winter nights. Consider purchasing area rugs or throw rugs to stave off cold feet near the bed as well. A bedside basket filled with fuzzy slippers will be a welcome addition, especially in a guest room.

The feature photo has bedding in rich colours, layered with textural accent pillows and an area rug for warmth underfoot. These are all easy changes to make your room stylish and inviting.

Some fabrics to consider are knits, fleece, faux fur, suede, or tweed. Small touches of these fabrics in toss cushions or blankets are easy additions that can change each season. If you can find fabric remnants at the fabric store or thrift store you can use them to make simple cushions covers for your current toss cushions.

If you have artwork or pictures that are summery in feel consider switching them out for ones that will set the tone for the season. Black and white photos of winter scenes in black frames is a good start and is a fairly easy do-it-yourself project.

Summer accessories, like light wicker accents or seashells can be replaced with vintage, hardcover books, chunky candles, gourds and dried flowers or twigs in a decorative vase.

A fall/winter-inspired table runner is a great addition to the dining room. Set the table with stoneware, coloured dishes and large coffee mugs. Create a centrepiece with fall flora.

If you are up to painting you can make small changes using rich, warm colours on focal walls like the purple wall behind the bed in the photo. This adds instant warmth and richness to the room and is a small painting project. Other places where you can add a splash of colour are walls above a fireplace, small powder rooms, a niche in a dining room or a partial wall in an open-concept space.

You might also consider adding both colour and pattern by hanging wallpaper on these walls instead of painting.

Small changes and additions are all you need to make your home wonderfully warm and cosy for the long winter ahead.

The post Create cosy rooms in your house this winter appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Materials:

– 12x2x2-inch

Styrofoam ring – Thin knitting needle, darning

needle or skewer – 30 inches of 44-inch wide orange,

yellow and black cotton fabric – Glass bowl

– 3 floating candles Instructions:

Cut the fabric into 1-1/2-inch squares. Press the thin knitting needle, the end of a darning needle or the blunted end of a wooden skewer into the centre of a square of fabric. Push this about halfway into the ring. Repeat in random order until no white on the ring is visible. Once finished, snip or pluck off the loose threads. Set the bowl, half full of water and the candles, or potpourri, and even dried leaves into the centre of the ring.

A colourful addition to any fall dinner.

– Dana Ramstedt is a freelance writer and preschool

teacher of 18 years.

The post Need A Centrepiece For Thanksgiving? appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Materials:

A ball of yarn and a set of four No. 10 knitting needles.

Instructions:

Cast on 30 stitches and divide

on three needles. Knit two rows.

Row 3: K1, wool over, and repeat this K1, wool over until the end of the

round (30 st). Continue knitting until desired length. (The scarf will be double the knitted length when you finish. For example: 12 inches= 24 inches approx.). Next: Knit 1, drop 1 stitch to end of

round. Knit 2 rows. Cast off.

Pull stitches (starting at the end you cast off) to make runs from the stitches you dropped and you will have created a beautiful lace-like scarf which lengthens as you pull on the stitches.

To finish make a fringe on each end.

The post Novel-Knit Scarf appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Materials:

– 1 ball of knitting worsted yarn – Size 5 knitting needles

Instructions:

Cast on 60 stitches (child) OR 68

stitches (adult). K2, P2 to make turtleneck to desired

length. Slip 30 stitches (child) OR 34 stitches (adult) onto stitch holder.

* With the 30 OR 34 stitches left on the needle cast on 8 stitches to each

side. Row 1: Knit 6, Knit to end of row. Row 2: Knit 6, Purl to end of row. Continue these two rows to desired

length.

The last five rows or so, knit every

row to make a garter stitch. I usually make the second side shorter, because one doesn’t need it so long in the back.

– Both projects from Joanne

Rawluk who writes from Gypsumville, Manitoba

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