Hi, this is me, Tracy

Welcome! 

I am the creator of The Fabric of Play.

Thank you for stopping by to explore my world of making and creating. If you want to know what drives me, this picture tells a story. A weekend bike ride followed by a treasure hunt at a junk shop is my happy place. I love finding potential in unexpected things—if you look closely through The Fabric of Play photos, you will probably see exactly what these hose pipes ended up becoming! Alongside building The Fabric of Play, I love working with young people. I have worked in a variety of roles over the years, including teaching sewing and being a play coach with Junky Monkeys. At the moment, life is full and busy working as a teacher aide at a local high school!

When did you start sewing?

My love for sewing started early with GCSE and 'A' Level Textiles in school, but life and travel took over, and I didn’t return to the craft until I moved to New Zealand and had my kids.

The turning point came in 2017. With both of my children finally in school, my sister introduced me to Boomerang Bags—a brilliant global initiative aimed at reducing plastic waste through community sewing. We loved the idea so much that we started our own local group and began holding community sewing bees. We quickly up-skilled, mastering French seams and box corners, and I even set up a screen-printing station at home for the logos.Thousands of bags later (and I’m pretty sure every friend I have owns at least one!), I wanted to expand my repertoire using upcycled fabrics, turning my hand to items like aprons and peg bags.Fast forward to 2021, when my local community house, Highbury House, approached me about teaching sewing classes. It felt a bit scary at the time, but I always tell myself that we have to step outside our comfort zones to keep growing. Taking that leap was the best decision! I proudly taught at Highbury House for a number of years, and only recently passed on the torch when I increased my hours to become a Teacher Aide at a local high school.

And then The Fabric of Play was born!

Inspired by my time as a Playcentre mum and my work as a Play Coach with Junky Monkeys, I have spent years exploring the incredible benefits of child-led learning through play.

Driven by this passion, I have combined my love for sewing and play to create immersive, sensory play environments. By adding a sprinkle of natural resources and keeping a strong focus on sustainability, almost everything I make uses thoughtfully repurposed and upcycled elements.It has been an absolute joy bringing these creations to life—experimenting with unique fabrics, textures, and diverse fillings to craft rich, engaging sensory experiences that spark curiosity and imagination in young minds.

More About The Fabric Of Play

Why use second hand fabric?

From my time volunteering to make Boomerang Bags I have seen first hand just how much unwanted fabric is out there.  And if it doesn't find a purpose, it is thrown away and that's a huge waste.  So my ethos is to repurpose second hand fabric and other elements and make them into an item that can be used again and again. 

Where do you get your fabric from?

I get my fabric from a variety of places. Second hand shops, Trade Me, Marketplace, my local Resource Centre and the local Zero Waste shop. I spend a fair amount of time keeping an eye out for suitable fabric and elements.  I love exploring junk shops! A local North Shore initiative called Thread Lightly has made getting hold of second hand fabric and accessories even easier. Please check them out. 

I also sometimes get donations from friends, as the word is out now that I can't say no to fabric.