Ali Brown
Ali writes instructional books on how to weave flax (harakeke - New Zealand Phormium tenax). Her first book, Weaving Flowers from New Zealand Flax, was published in 2008. She has since written three more instructional flax weaving books, the latest one published in 2020. Her book structure of step-by-step instructions complemented by colour images is a method which many readers, both new and experienced in the craft, have commented is clear and easy to follow.
As the origin of flax weaving is as a traditional craft of the indigenous Māori of Aotearoa, her books sell mostly in Aotearoa/ New Zealand, but they also sell all around the world. They are printed and published by Browncraft Ltd, the family publishing company, which allows for continuous publication, and are sold directly to the public through www.alibrown.co.nz In 2018, Ali moved from her hometown of Ōtautahi/ Christchurch to Ngatimoti in Tasman, where she regularly weaves with a roopu at Te Āwhina marae, holds flax weaving workshops and studies te reo Māori through NMIT. |
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