Location: Hand & Lock School for Embroidery & Creative Arts, 86 Margaret Street, Fitzrovia, London, W1W 8TE
Duration: 2 Day Workshop (10am - 4:30pm each day)

Join us for a unique contemporary weaving workshop and explore the wonders of hand passementerie weaving with passementerie artist and heritage craft specialist Elizabeth Ashdown MA RCA. Passementerie is an 'endangered' craft in the UK and so this is a very special opportunity to learn how to create passementerie from one of the last remaining passementerie artists.

One of the rarest and most special of all textile crafts, passementerie is the art of creating decorative ribbons, trimmings, braids, cords and fringes. Whether you're interested in interior design, accessories, fashion design, or fine art, this workshop will teach you the introductory passementerie weaving skills you need to create your own fabulous hand woven designs bursting with colour, texture and pattern. You will create 4 different hand woven contemporary passementerie designs, each design exploring a different hand technique. You will also learn how to create your own hand spun cords using traditional techniques. No prior experience of weaving or of passementerie is required.

Important Course Information

- Please check that your email address is correct before ordering.

- Read all of the course description information above and the “How the Course Works” information below before booking.

- All courses are non-refundable. If you cannot attend, please let us know as soon as possible and we will try to move you to another course.

If you have any questions, please check our FAQs page here.

Taught Techniques 

• How to create 4 hand woven passementerie designs approximately 6" long per sample

• Weaving techniques including creating picots, scallops, braid, fringe and crete

• How to spin your own cords with a traditional passementerie cord spinner

• Setting up a loom and removing your weaving

• How to finish your weaving professionally

What You’ll Need to Provide 

- All materials and tools will be provided - Course kit materials may vary slightly from those shown in sample imagery, however all alternatives are chosen to closely reflect the intended techniques and final results.  

- If you wish you are welcome to bring your own mug for refreshments and your own embroidery kit, though this is completely optional and not required.

About Your Tutor 

Elizabeth Ashdown MA RCA is one of the last remaining Passementerie craftspeople working in the UK today. Working from her studio in London, she creates contemporary, hand woven artworks using the endangered craft of Passementerie. Elizabeth combines traditional craft skills with a contemporary aesthetic in order to create intriguing and playful art works for a variety of clients. Elizabeth's book 'Passementerie handcrafting contemporary trimmings, fringes, tassels and more' will be published by Schiffer in January 2024.

'My role as an artist is not only to respect my traditional craft of Passementerie, but to unleash its potential. One way I do this is through teaching others about this fascinating, rare and endangered craft.'

Read more about Elizabeth Ashdown in our Guest Tutor Spotlight article on The Thread here.