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Spend three hours learning Swiss straw plaiting in Broadway, England. This intimate workshop teaches red-listed Heritage Craft techniques and delivers a handcrafted hat ornament to take home.
Spend three hours learning Swiss straw plaiting in Broadway, England. This intimate workshop teaches red-listed Heritage Craft techniques and delivers a handcrafted hat ornament to take home.
Book with Broadway Museum & Art Gallery
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Operated by Broadway Museum & Art Gallery · Broadway, England
On a bright afternoon in Broadway, England, the Straw Craft Hat Decoration workshop offers three hours of hands-on, slow-making that pairs rural tradition with contemporary style. Located on the bright, airy second floor of a workshop space in Broadway, this class teaches Swiss straw plaiting and fine decorative straw work to a small group of up to eight participants. Bring your favorite straw hat if you can - hats are not supplied - and expect to leave with a summer-ready ornament or hat trim you assembled yourself.
The session focuses on red-listed Heritage Craft techniques: simple plaiting, intricate braiding, and delicate assembly that transform wheat or rye straw into floral motifs, rosettes, and buttons. Tuition and materials are included, and expert instructors trace the techniques to their Swiss origins while explaining local folklore and the craft's place in rural life. The classroom sits up a flight of stairs; note that access requires steps and stairs.
What makes this workshop special for visitors is how it connects material culture to place. Broadway is a village where field-edge straw and harvest history are part of the landscape; this workshop turns the region's agricultural byproducts into wearable art. For outdoor travelers who've spent the morning walking lanes or visiting nearby green spaces, the workshop is a tidy afternoon counterpoint: quiet, focused, and tactile.
Practical details matter. The three-hour format is paced for beginners but rewarding for those with prior strawcraft experience. The class size is limited, so you get individual attention for fine techniques like binding and finishing. If possible, arrive a few minutes early to check in; the room is on the second floor without lift access. Materials, tuition, and a sociable atmosphere are included; hats are not.
Beyond technique, the instructor shares folklore about harvest customs and decorative patterns, giving context to the stitches you make. Participants often remark that the craft is unexpectedly mindful, steadying after a day of hiking or sightseeing. Finished pieces are light, biodegradable, and easy to pack, making them practical souvenirs.
This is a sustainable craft experience suitable for slow travelers and makers: it preserves endangered technique, reduces waste by upcycling straw, and supports local cultural heritage. Workshops run year-round depending on schedule, and the small class size makes it a great option for solo travelers looking to meet locals or for friends seeking a creative break from outdoor pursuits. Instructors accommodate beginners with patient step-by-step demonstration, and completed decorations make durable, low-weight gifts that carry stories home - each braid a little fragment of regional craft history you can wear with pride.
easy.
3 hours.
No special fitness required; suitable for most visitors who can sit and use fine motor skills for several hours
No. Materials for the decoration are provided, but hats are not supplied; bring your own if you want the piece attached immediately.
No minimum age is specified in the listing; younger participants should be able to handle small tools and sit through a three-hour session.
The workshop is on a second floor with steps and stairs and no lift access, so it may not be suitable for those who need step-free access.
No prior experience is required—classes are designed for beginners but are also rewarding for those with some strawcraft background.
Materials for straw plaiting and decorative assembly are included with tuition; instructors provide tools and guidance.
Classes are limited to a maximum of eight participants to ensure individual attention.
Strawcraft taught here uses Swiss straw plaiting and is listed as an endangered Heritage Craft, with instructors sharing harvest folklore and traditional patterns.
The workshop uses straw and techniques that produce biodegradable decorations and promotes upcycling agricultural byproducts to reduce waste.
Broadway Museum & Art Gallery is a local museum and art gallery in Broadway, England, presenting exhibitions, collections and a varied events programme that highlights regional history, craft and contemporary creativity. The venue offers public entry tickets alongside a busy schedule of ticketed experiences: hands-on workshops, specialist lectures, family activities, seasonal trails and fundraising events. Workshops and talks are delivered by visiting experts and local practitioners. Recent and recurring offerings include pottery sessions with Dave Short (Great Pottery Throw Down finalist), glass-fusion and printing workshops with Helen Cooper, an archaeology lecture on the Milestone Ground excavation by Jamie Wilkins, and a glass-focused lecture by Justine Hopkins. Practical craft classes cover collage, calligraphy, block printing, corn dolly making and low relief tile carving. Many sessions provide materials and refreshments: the summer collage workshop supplies all materials and a light lunch, and the modern calligraphy session includes a personal kit and treats. Pottery pieces created during classes are decorated, fired and available for later collection from the gallery. Seasonal programming includes Christmas grotto trails, Father Christmas events and late-night shopping with themed trails. The museum supports local artists, stewardship of local heritage and community learning through accessible, hands-on experiences for families, visitors and craft enthusiasts.
Book with Broadway Museum & Art Gallery