Weaving Workshops

Stay tuned for 2024 workshop announcements

To host a private workshop in your home or creative space, contact Mary Anne at hello@houseofwoollythyme.com

House of Woolly Thyme Workshops

Mary Anne Donovan is the textile artist and weaving mentor at House of Woolly Thyme. 


In May 2017 after persuasion from friends and fans of modern weaving, Mary Anne hosted her very first Intro to Weaving Workshop in her Lunenburg home with five friends. The group gathered around the family's dining room table with a heap of beautiful yarns and natural fibres, driftwood combed from local beaches, and a spread of wholesome foods and iced herbal tea (and perhaps a little wine). It was a relaxing, social and engaging afternoon and she was blown away by the emerging creativity and beautiful woven pieces that she was able to guide in this group of brand new weavers. Her weavers were delighted with the meditative craft and immensely proud of their one of a kind tapestry weavings.
Since that first workshop, Mary Anne has been instructing weaving workshops all over Nova Scotia, including Halifax, Dartmouth, Pictou County, Annapolis Valley, Chester, Mahone Bay and, of course, Lunenburg. She creates a calm and supportive atmosphere for her participants and provides her weavers with a beautiful and colorful array of natural fibres to work with. Tapestries are woven on handcrafted maple House of Woolly Thyme frame looms and weavers are provided with the resources and instruction to take them beyond the basics in the Intro to Weaving Class. 


Covid-19 has brought challenges and ushered change for the entire world over the past few years. Many find themselves seeking new learning opportunities while cultivating a desire to create beauty within their home which has, for many, become more than just a place to sleep, eat and dwell. Home is a mindset, a refuge, a sanctuary; home is a haven; home is where we teach, where we learn and where we work. The weaving community has grown during these trying years as we seek meditative, creative outlets to quell our worries and so, alternative avenues for guiding new weavers have evolved.
When social distancing and gathering restriction measures were instituted to prevent the spread of Covid-19, Mary Anne's platform for teaching in-person workshops expanded to include online Zoom workshops, in real time, that offered an interactive opportunity to learn and create handwoven wall hangings. Once gathering measures were lifted, in person classes resumed. Weavers may no longer find themselves huddled snugly around a table of fibres with shared tools and supplies, however, the intimacy and support still remains. At House of Woolly Thyme, your safety and comfort is our priority, and options to transition to online teaching are available with a focus on providing the same guidance and kinship as an in-person gathering of weavers.
 
Reviews for House of Woolly Thyme Weaving Workshops
I was thrilled to take Mary Anne's weaving workshop at The Makery last month. I had a wonderful time learning new skills and sharing the space with other like-minded ladies. Mary Anne is a gifted and patient artist/teacher who made the sunny, Sunday afternoon so enjoyable. Her encouragement and enthusiasm for the art of weaving and our foray into this wonderful craft made it one of the best workshops I've ever taken. I felt welcomed and supported from start to finish. I'm pretty proud of the woven wall hanging I created and even purchased an original piece created by Mary Anne herself. I would highly recommend taking a class from Mary Anne whenever one becomes available. I would also encourage anyone to purchase one of Mary Anne's original pieces. There's nothing like buying a hand-made original from a local, talented artist in lovely Lunenburg, NS who so clearly supports other suppliers, artisans and her community.  ~ MJ Goodfellow (Mahone Bay)
 
Mary Anne's weavings are beautiful and lovingly handmade. Her classes are incredible! She's a patient and knowledgeable teacher, and I feel like I learned a lot more in one afternoon than I thought possible. Highly recommend trying one!  ~ M Duggan (Lunenburg)
 Mary Anne ran a weaving workshop for us for a group of tweens and it was fantastic! She brought all the equipment and a great selection of yarn and the kids were inspired to make some awesome weavings. Highly recommended!  ~ K Turner (Mahone Bay)
I was so excited to take part in one a Mary Anne's weaving workshops, and I was not disappointed! She is an excellent, relaxed and thorough instructor, and we were provided with a great selection of materials. Highly recommend!!  ~ J Mader (Lunenburg)
How wonderful it was to finally attend a workshop in person (all done very safely) with Mary Anne Donovan from the House of Woolly Thyme held at the Chester Arts Centre in October 2020. From the beginning with a lovely box with our weaving kits beautifully displayed to the encouraging and patient instructions from Mary Anne to the end with our amazing finished projects - it was a day well spent! I have already started weaving some gifts. Mary Anne is a great instructor who has a thorough understanding of colour and texture and provides just enough encouragement to give her students the confidence and ability to create their own beautiful tapestry. I would love to take a Part 2 workshop! Thank you Mary Anne - you are a gracious and thoughtful teacher. It was a privilege to spend the day with you.  ~ P Clarke (Berwick, NS)
Check out this blog post from Lori at Farm Fresh Style about her experience at a HOWT workshop.