Welcome!

 

In November 2005 there was a little health incident that made me stop and look at life and that resulted in 2006 being a year of “doing nothing”. In other words a year out to recharge batteries and wait to see what would arise. The result of the waiting is a busy 2007 beginning in the summer. I will be at four venues in June and July in America after which I return to the UK to teach at the British Weavers Summer school in Falmouth England. In September there will be what has become an annual event in Peterborough UK a 3 day takadai workshop. the final event will be Kyoto in November where I will present a lecture on Andean textiles and lead a workshop on Peruvian Turban braids. The detail of my workshops can be seen on the schedule page. When the book on takadai braids “Making Kumihimo” was issued three chapters were excluded from the publication. These were the detailed equipment drawings, working instructions for multiple pick-up braids and an overview of the history of braids in Asia.

The detailed drawings for the equipment are the subject of the booklet and the CD for multiple pick-up braids available from braidershand@earthlink.com

The history has recently been published in Braid Society’s annual booklet called “Strands” which is available from backissues@braidsociety.com

2006 also saw the publication of a computer programme Takadraft 1.0 written by Doug Newhouse. The programme provides a graph on which designs for double pick-up braids can be planned. The computer at a click of the mouse automatically codes all the stitches. A process when done by hand is long and tedious.   Rodrick Owen