After several workshops in Tennant Creek last week, felting tutor Tanya Hattingh returned to Alice with 30 beanies made by Tennant Creek residents for entry into the 2023 Beanie Festival.
The festival is a community-based event which started in 1997 with a beanie party organised by Ari Dunlop.
In the early years the festival was run by a group of friends on a volunteer basis. This core group slowly grew into a committed band of “beanie-ologists”.
The festival was organised to sell beanies crocheted by Aboriginal women in remote communities, and has grown into a fun event where Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal artists share their cultures and exhibit together.
The Festival starts on 23 June.
This article appeared in Tennant & District Times, 26 May 2023.
