Braiding and cord making is one of the oldest human technologies, an essential skill that evolved into a highly decorative practice: ropes, belts, armour fastenings, baskets and ceremonial objects. Skills passed from the hands of makers, across cultures and generations.

In 2024 I was awarded a bursary by the Heritage Crafts to undertake specialist training in two remarkable braiding traditions. The first was Kumihimo or Japanese braidmaking ~ studied under the expert guidance of Jacqui Carey at West Dean College. Working on my traditional wooden Marudai, braids are created with weighted spools and a meditative series of movements that converge into what is called the point of braid.

The second was ply-split braiding ~ an ancient technique form north west India, shared with me by the incredibly talented Julie Hedges. The process involves interlacing one plied cord through the split ply of another with a tool called a gripfid. A technique that builds intricate patterns that seem to float across the surface ~ strong, reversible and endlessly expressive. Under Julie's guidance I also discovered the art of hand spinning cord, a skill that has since transformed my studio into a cord walk and opened up a whole new world of bespoke cords made in a wide range of fibres, textures and colours.

Both of these distinctive traditions have found a natural home in ASTRL Fibres. They are slow, intentional crafts that I can share with bespoke designs, handcrafted homewares, textile artworks, workshops and demonstrations. Get in touch to learn more.