Textile Exploration: Creating Tivaevae with Wool
Creator: Liz Mitchell (MNZM), Dagmar Dyck, Adèle Tara, Cook Island Community Tivaevae group
Artform: Textile craft making
Timeframe: a series of workshops, dates TBC.
Location: Māngere Ōtāhuhu
Textile Exploration: Creating Tivaevae with Wool, is a unique workshop designed to incorporate traditional Cook Islands craft of tivaevae (applique quilting) with the use of New Zealand-grown wool as the primary material. This collaboration between Liz Mitchell (MNZM), a renowned fashion designer, and Dagmar Dyck, a prominent artist with deep ties to the Pacific community. It aims to blend cultural heritage and sustainable practices. Adèle Tara, Think Change Social, will be working with a Cook Island Community Tivaevae group, and assist in connecting the project to the Māngere Ōtāhuhu area.
Participants will learn how to create a 1m x 1m tivaevae piece using wool, incorporating stitching, needle felting and wet felting techniques. Liz Mitchell will lead the wool techniques, while Dagmar Dyck will focus on design and cultural context, making the workshop an enriching and educational experience. Discussions on the benefits of using wool in textile art and its potential for creating sustainable interior decor items.
This project is distinctive because it combines a traditional Pacific craft with sustainable materials. While tivaevae is traditionally made with cotton, using wool introduces a new dimension to the art form, highlighting wool’s versatility and environmental benefits. This approach not only preserves cultural heritage but also aligns with growing interest in sustainability, making the project both culturally and environmentally valuable.
The workshop will be inclusive, catering to all skill level.
