Braiding in the Rain or "Stop String Being Boring".

Wednesday 15th August - "Braids from The Past: As long as people have made string, they have plied, knotted and braided it to make it longer, stronger or just more decorative! Join this workshop to learn some ancient skills that you can use at home. 2 different sessions.  Braids from prehistory: Ply Stone Age cord, make a Bronze Age plait and braid the leather bracelet found on an Iron Age bog body. 2pm - 4pm: More fun with two: Make a Viking whipcord and an Early Medieval loop braid fit for a queen - but make sure you bring a friend!"

What an invite - well, you never know when a bog body bracelet will be needed, so in pouring summer rain, my grandmother, mother and I wandered off this week to a St Fagan's to find the workshop.

By the time we tracked down Louise Mumford, Conservator, Department of Archaeology (National Museum of Wales), we were drenched, not good as my Mum melts in the rain. The good news was that we had Louise all to ourselves for a master class in braids and textiles.

I was able to make a twisted ply cord from nettle stems and flax and braided a leather bracelet which has loads of possibilities for other textile projects.  Louise gave a fascinating overview of ancient textiles, tablet weaving, fingerloop braids, japanese kumihimo braids, American native indian finger weaving and was also able to show us artifacts used in bronze and iron ages to create textiles.

I'm going to put my name down as a volunteer for the museum and find out how I can help show techniques to visitors in future.