Fingerloop Braiding - full day intermediate/beginner workshop 10am-4pm

  • Ages 18+

Learn an historic braidmaking textile technique using natural fibres. Materials included. Suitable for adults

By Sue the Silkewoman

Date and time

Location

Sandwich Medieval Centre

The Quay Sandwich CT13 9EN United Kingdom

Refund Policy

Refunds up to 7 days before event

About this event

  • Event lasts 6 hours
  • Ages 18+
  • Paid venue parking

Learn the basics of this fascinating textile weaving technique found throughout history all over the world including medieval and renaissance Europe and reaching a high point in Medieval England between 1200 and 1600. Uses for the braids included purse strings, laces for clothing, and for decoration. Nowadays braids can also be used as friendship bracelets.

This is an adult beginner’s workshop or for anyone who has braided before and wishes to expand their knowledge and includes materials.

You will learn loop-manipulation to create both round and flat five-loop braids plus how to split and re-join a braid with the option of adding beads for a 21stC touch.

You will try the braiding techniques in both wool and cotton perle, learning how the different threads behave, as well as different starting techniques.

In the afternoon of this this workshop, you will move on to multi-coloured braiding and learn different braid structures.

Additional workshops offered by the Silkewoman on request include Tablet-Weaving, Period Embroidery Techniques, Goldwork Embroidery, and Netting as well as period specific plain hand-sewing techniques

Organised by

Sue the Silkewoman

The Silkewoman at Medieval Needle: Sue is a demonstrator and practitioner of insanely time-consuming historic silkwork serving museums, historic sites and interested individuals. She loves teaching these ancient skills to anyone who is interested, as long as they have exceeded the ripe old age of seven! (Eight or more, is even better)

Silkewoman and Period Textiles display: Sue’s carefully researched, colourful display explains the journey of silk from worm and cocoon, through to finished luxury accessories made by medieval silk women, tailored to suit your event or venue. The techniques of tablet weaving, braiding, netting, embroidery et al are brought to life. Sue will be actively making, explaining, and engaging all ages with the story of how some women and girls rose above the ordinary during the Middle Ages. Have-a-go braiding, and netting can also be included as part of the display

Talks…and Q&A sessions tailored to suit your group. Titles vary from ‘Post-Black Death Girl-Power & The Silkwomen’ and ‘Dressing a Medieval Woman (or…’so what did they really wear underneath?’) to more textile-specific subjects. (And don’t worry as male clothing can be covered!) Talks are illustrated with hand-made objects, but time permitting, PowerPoint slides are an option if your venue has a suitable projector

Workshops and Lessons: Current Workshop venues: Sandwich Medieval Centre https://sandwichmedieval.org/ - dates published on their website and social media. Additional workshop venues are under discussion. Lessons by arrangement at Sue’s small home studio in Kent for one or two people

Making and Commissions: Textiles researched and created by Sue include hand-knotted silk mesh hairnets; narrow-ware including tablet-weaving and finger-loop braiding; tassels and buttons. She is also an experienced hand embroiderer who sometimes takes commissions for other decorative textiles; examples of which include bags, banners, standards, badges, cushions, and boxes. Each piece is based on accurate representation of surviving originals where possible, using appropriate techniques and materials with adaptations as new archaeological research is discovered.

'She seeketh wool and flax , and worketh willingly with her hands' (Proverbs 31:13)

£54.88Jul 25 · 10:00 GMT+1