The intricate and decorative beauty of Passementerie captured my attention before I had a name for it, let alone knew how to pronounce it. Passementerie (pronounced pass-a-mon-tray) is the art of making elaborate decorative trimmings ~ an umbrella term for a vast range of handmaking techniques spanning weaving, cord spinning, tassel and rosette making. Once a thriving industry, it adorned the palaces, furnishings and fashion of European royalty and aristocracy for centuries with London and Paris at the centre of its production. Today, with only a handful of individual makers practicing across the UK and Ireland, it's classified on the Heritage Crafts Red List as an endangered craft ~ one at risk of being lost altogether.

In 2024 I was awarded a training bursary from Heritage Crafts to undertake 1:1 training with leading passementerie artist Elizabeth Ashdown ~ one of only five professional passementerie hand weavers working in the UK today. Elizabeth's magnetic passion for the craft has introduced me to a magical new world: woven scallops, picots and crete, grappé and satin wrapped moulds, bullion fringe, cartisane and more. There is so much to learn and I've immersed myself in the study.

For me, learning passementerie is about more than acquiring a new skill. It's a commitment to keeping something rare and precious alive ~ preserving a rich history while elevating my work with a contemporary asethetic and playful new decorative detail. I am proud to be among a rare few dedicated to this endangered craft, which has found a natural home in ASTRL Fibres. A unique set of skills that I can share with bespoke designs, handcrafted homewares, textile artworks, workshops and demonstrations. Get in touch to learn more.