Introduction to Table Braiding with Hair: Historic FLAT BRAIDS Workshop

This immersive, hands-on workshop introduces the nearly forgotten art of table-braided hairwork. Popular throughout Europe and carried into the American West during the nineteenth century, this weighted braiding technique transforms loose strands into strong, structured braids, once used for keepsakes and sentimental jewelry.

Working on custom-built braiding tables, Zen will guide you step by step through bundle preparation, foundation knots, and the management of weighted bobbins as you create a beautiful historic flat braid pattern. You will learn the rhythm, tension, and sequence logic that give this craft its quiet strength and beauty.

By the end of the class, you will leave with a finished braid sample and a solid foundation in this enduring technique.

This flat braids class and the round-twisted chain workshop (on Friday) are designed for beginners. Each session features a different historic braid pattern. Participants may attend one or both with no prior experience required.

When: Wednesday, June 24, 2026, 10 AM-4 PM

Where: Alice Hardie Stevens Center
603 E. Ivinson Ave
Laramie, WY 82070

Tickets: FREE (sponsored by Laramie Plains Museum at the Historic Ivinson Mansion), class size limited to 10 participants.

Prerequisites: Age 16+, all skill levels welcome

Materials: All tools and ethically donated, pre-washed hair provided. Students will have the opportunity to purchase braiding tables, weights, and other specialized hairwork tools at a discounted rate following the workshop.

To sign up, please email or call:
lpmassistdir@outlook.com
(307) 742-4448

For more info, please see the Visit Laramie website: https://www.visitlaramie.org/event/intoduction-to-table-braiding-with-hair/38947/

The Hairy History of the West: From Rattlesnake Ropes to Victorian Memorial Wreaths

What is something nearly every person grows, throws away daily, and rarely thinks twice about? Hair.

Hair artist and researcher Zen Hansen explores the remarkable roles human and horsehair have historically played in our society. Hair was both practical and deeply personal. On the western frontier, hair was braided into ropes believed to ward off rattlesnakes, crafted into bridles and lariats, and even bartered in prisons. At the same time, pioneer women transformed shed hair into mourning wreaths, watch chains, and keepsakes that preserved memory and connection to their friends, communities, and loved ones.

As Wyoming celebrates its 250th anniversary, this program invites us to reconsider a material that quietly shaped both ingenuity and sentiment.

You may never look at your hair the same way again.

When: Wednesday, June 24, 2026, 6-7 PM

Where: Alice Hardie Stevens Center
603 E. Ivinson Ave
Laramie, WY 82070

Tickets: Free

To sign up, please email or call:
lpmassistdir@outlook.com
(307) 742-4448

For more info, please see the Visit Laramie website: https://www.visitlaramie.org/event/special-presentation-with-zen-hansen/38948/

Introduction to Table Braiding with Hair: Historic ROUND-TWIST CHAINS Workshop

This immersive, hands-on workshop introduces the nearly forgotten art of table-braided hairwork through a historic twisted chain pattern. Popular throughout Europe and carried into the American West during the nineteenth century, this weighted braiding technique transforms loose strands into strong, dimensional braids once used for watch chains, bracelets, and keepsake jewelry.

Working on custom-built braiding tables, Zen will guide you step by step through bundle preparation, foundation knots, and managing weighted bobbins as you learn the sequence logic of a classic twisted chain. You will gain an understanding of rhythm, tension, and rotation as you create a beautifully structured braid rooted in historic practice.

By the end of class, you will leave with a finished braid sample and a solid foundation in this enduring technique.

Both the flat braid class (on Wednesday) and this twisted-chain workshop are designed for beginners. Each session features a different historic braid pattern. Participants may attend one or both with no prior experience required.

When: Friday, June 26, 2026, 10 AM-4 PM

Where: University Store
13th & University
Laramie, WY 82071

Tickets: FREE (sponsored by Laramie Plains Museum at the Historic Ivinson Mansion), class size limited to 10 participants.

Prerequisites: Age 16+, all skill levels welcome

Materials: All tools and ethically donated, pre-washed hair provided. Students will have the opportunity to purchase braiding tables, weights, and other specialized hairwork tools at a discounted rate following the workshop.

To sign up, please email or call:
lpmassistdir@outlook.com
(307) 742-4448

For more info, please see the Visit Laramie website: https://www.visitlaramie.org/event/introduction-to-table-braiding-with-hair/38949/