“I was born here and lived in Tuncester at the school residence as my parents were teachers. The Tuncester school is no longer there but my father was the Principal of that school. Being teachers we moved around a bit and came back to Wollongbar when the school was still on the highway.
I went to uni when it was here in the Conservatorium building. It was called the College of Advanced Education and I studied to be a teacher. As part of my teaching degree I did lots of craft subjects such as leatherwork, weaving, fabric dying etc. It’s always been an interest.
We moved away to work, had children and came back to the area as most of us do. It’s such a great place to raise your children and now that my children have left home I’m rediscovering all my passions and interests.
I’ve really got into natural dyeing and felting, I’m loving weaving things that were on the backburner while I raised my family but now I have time. Playing with fibre is what I do. I always use natural materials, either wool, cotton, linen and silk. I’ve started creating natural dyes from plants, leaves and flowers which most I collect myself. My daughter is a florist so she gives me offcuts and I purchase some plant extracts. Indigo is my latest love.
I’m looking into running classes. I have run classes in Byron and I’ll be doing a class at Hinterland Clunes making felted slippers.
I love this area. We have everything here. It’s central to the beaches and the rainforest and it was the best place to raise my children.”
@playing.with.fibre