The act of weaving has been a part of the fabric of human culture for millennia. The twining together of bark, rushes, sinews, plant fibres and yarns – the flowing rhythm of the weave - are written deep in our bones. We have long intuited that weaving, the transformation of chaos into order, usefulness and beauty, is analogous to life. When we make in this way, we are acting out and echoing a mysterious dance of creation.

refer to a weaving woman, who is charged with the eternal task of stitching, knitting or knotting the world into being. When we weave, we are bringing intention to the threads of life in our own hands, and moving them along paths of purpose to create forms and fabrics with their own unique ‘beingness’.

During this weekend

you are invited to come together with a group of women to weave at the beautiful Lammas Earth Centre. Our workspace will be a sanctuary of warmth and light, holding the ceremony of our crafting as a time for learning new skills, reflecting on our lives, and honoring each stage of the making process. You will have the opportunity to immerse in two crafts – on the first day, Elizabeth Crawford will teach basketry using river rush and other soft plants, and on day two Anna Hopkins will teach you to weave a fabric table runner using a selection of traditional, natural yarns on rigid heddle looms.

meet anna

Anna is a fabric weaver and facilitator based in the South West. Currently working from her studio in Stroud, Anna creates bespoke woven fabrics and moves around the UK to teach others her craft. With a close connection to the natural world, her practice is deeply informed by her surroundings, as she explores conversations with the environment and her personal movement practice.

Anna finds joy in connecting with others through traditional heritage crafts and teaching people the skills that our ancestors perfected. She has a grounded yet playful approach to teaching and enjoys blending her traditional, technical weaving knowledge with an intuitively led flow.

Anna has 9 years of experience with woven fabrics. After finishing her degree in textile design at Loughborough University, she worked as a designer and weaver at The Bristol Weaving Mill, moving on to the development of her own business, Wandering Woven, transforming raw natural materials into beautiful contemporary pieces.