Mary-Ann Svenson has been spinning and weaving for over 20 years. She completed a 3 year certificate course through Tenterfield TAFE, covering spinning, weaving, dyeing and design and has continued with these crafts since.
Her love of spinning beautiful fibres including merino, polwarth, alpaca and silk in vibrant colours comes to the fore in her homespun and handwoven scarves and garments, Mary-Ann enjoys the whole creative process from selecting fleece and fibre to spinning and weaving the fabrics. She spins on Majacraft and Sickenger wheels and weaves on an Ashford rigid heddle loom, incorporating some commercial yarns for texture and strength. Mary-Ann's garments include ponchos, ruanas, tabards and scarves.
Branching out into needle felting and knit & felt hats has extended her interest in all things fibre. Always evolving, some stitching is also being included in her work.
Mary-Ann has placed many items in the Tenterfield Show with great success and had an article accepted into the Stanthorpe Art Prize in 2018.
Mary-Ann attended a weekend workshop learning Saori weaving at the Curiousweaver Studio in Old Bar NSW in 2019. Saori weaving is a Japanese weaving technique, loosely translating to “from the heart”, and is something she likes to incorporate into her garments.
Mary-Ann has a small hobby business called ‘knit,knot,weave & felt’ and creates in her home in Drake, NSW. As well as being a member of Make it Tenterfield, she is able to run workshops in needle felting, spinning and weaving.