Braid and Band Weaving with Helen Leaf

Please go to https://www.createdbyhand.co.uk/workshops/ for more information and registration

Weaving braids and bands is a northern European tradition, and it's something that links into many other traditions around the world. Once the basics are understood, you can go on to weave with different colours, patterns and yarns and it's a great skill!

 At the end of this class you will be able to weave your own braid, using simple and portable equipment.

This form of weaving needs no loom but instead, we will use a heddle and a shuttle. One end of the weaving is tied to the weaver and the other end of the weaving can be tied to something like a post or a tree.

 On this one day workshop you will learn:

• How to weave braids/bands using simple equipment (heddle and shuttle)
• How to start and finish your braids
• How to thread a loom/heddle
• How to read and design a pattern

The day will be structured so that everyone learns steadily and together. No previous experience is needed but you will weave straight away with ready threaded heddles, to make and complete a simple length of braid. We'll use different patterns and colours so that we can learn from each other's weaving as we go along. We'll consider different ways to finish off the ends of our braids and will learn how to read a pattern. We'll discuss different yarns, what works and why, and Helen will demonstrate how to thread up a new heddle ready for weaving.