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/
