Raffia Hats (2-week course)


with Claire Richards

This course runs for two consecutive weekly sessions from the start date/time listed below.

ABOUT THE COURSE

In this course you will make your own classic summer raffia hat which is perfect for the beach or a wedding…. or maybe even just a picnic.

Raffia is the leaf of the Raphia ruffa tree in Madagascar, it is a beautifully flexible (and forgiving!) material to work with which means that no prior experience is necessary for this craft – beginners are more than welcome. In this two-part workshop you will learn how to make a simple hat.

No experience is needed and you do not need to be a great sewer either…. 

In week one Claire will introduce how the raffia can be dyed including usual natural dyes, where it comes from (it is a sustainable resource) and you will then quickly move to plaiting with the raffia which is the basic technique for making the hats. The second week will be involved with shaping your hat on a sized hat block. There will be some plaiting homework between the sessions so that you have enough raffia prepared to make your hat.

All students work with natural raffia and at the end of the second week will leave with a completed item and the skills to make more for family and friends as they wish. All instruction worksheets for the workshop are yours to keep.

ABOUT THE TUTOR

Claire has been working with raffia since 1993 when she learnt to make hats from an Australian in the UK. After a break from raffia for other work and to raise her son, Claire returned to raffia in 2019. She has now extended the raffia range to include hats, bags, interior decorations and lampshades.

WHAT TO BRING

The workshop fee includes all raw materials needed to complete the course. You will need to also bring:

- A pair of comfortable scissors

- A thimble if you like to use one

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