During Braids 2016 we will be holding an informal marketplace on Monday and Thursday from 7 to 9 pm.   This will be an opportunity to buy articles and supplies from tutors and attendees.   We recently sent out a request to gauge the interest in being a vendor and we were inundated with responses.   We have worked through the logistics with the University and they are now at maximum capacity and cannot accept any more requests.  Given the nature of the conference, this is not a typical vendor hall however, there will be lots of tempting items and books for sale so do bring your money with you.   The marketplace will be open to the public as well as conference attendees.

The 2016 Travelling Exhibition has the title, Inspired by winter light and landscape

You can interpret the theme as you wish and use whichever braiding technique you fancy.

Perhaps you have started a braid and not quite finished it yet or you have an idea but ran out of time - the deadline has been extended to February 24th to send your entries to Averil Otiv.  The Travelling Exhibition is how we demonstrate to the world what braids look like and what you can do with them.  It is shown at shows all around the UK so we welcome a wide range of techniques.

All full members of the Society can participate.  Long haul members are most welcome to upgrade their membership so their work may be exhibited.

 Please include a photograph and short text of the influence in the creation of the piece.

Happy New Year! 2016 is here and it is going to be a great year with our Conference in July. That is only a few months away and I'm sure that those who have registered are looking at their travel arrangements and thinking about what to bring. We will be contacting those who have registered in the next few weeks.

If you have not yet registered, why not revisit the programme and take another look. Over the next few days, we will post information about classes that still have spaces just to tempt you to take a look.

If you can't wait, all the programme details can be found in the files under Braids and Bands group or at the Braid Society website, http://braidsociety.com/page-1857717

Jennie Parry posted a message a few weeks ago about Catherine Martin's interview on BBC Radio 3 essential classics.   This is still available on although I'm not sure if you can access it from outside the UK
Catherine Martin, The Essential Classics Interview - BBC Radio 3

Following on from this, why not purchase Catherine's book on Kumihimo.   It is available from the Braid Society at £7 plus postage and packing

May I take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas  and a very Happy New Year

Registration is now fully open for our exciting conference, Braids 2016 - Braids, Bands and Beyond.   A number of the classes are full but there are still many wonderful classes with space for attendees.   It is an opportunity to meet the best braiders in the world with a wide range of skills.   Further details can be found in the Braids 2016 programme and on the page of Tutors.    There are lots of photos of what the tutors will be teaching. 

Braids 2016 registration has opened for all Braid Society members and the places are filling fast.   To date we have 121 registrations with a limit of 200.    Some of the classes are full so will not show when registering for the conference.

Some minor changes have been made to the programme for Linda Malan's class and Michael Hattori's biography.   These are in V13 of the programme. 

Following her excellent talk at the AGM and the article in Strands 2015, an additional pattern has been placed in the Member's area under braiding instructions.

Registration for Braids 2016 will open on 1st November at 1pm Pacific time.   The link to the registration system will open on this website, www.braidsociety.com at that time.  The registration system is an online application form that guides you through the registration with payment options at the end.  
An email will also be sent to all paid up members of the Braid Society with the link to the registration and then the link will be posted on this page and also on the Yahoo group, braids and bands. 

A number of changes have been made to the Braids 2016 workshop schedule and a new programme is available on the Braids 2016 page for download.  

The key changes are:

Dominic Taylor will be teaching a two day class on cylindrical braids on Monday and Tuesday

Adrienne Gaskell's class on Embellished Oimatsu has been moved to Monday

Carol Wang's classes on Thursday and Friday were missing from the schedule although details were shown in the programme

Makiko Tada will be teaching Leno Braids on Thursday in a full day class.  The previous programme showed this as a one hour class on Thursday and Friday.

Heather Torgenrud has withdrawn her class.     

The September 2015 newsletter has been sent out.  It can also be seen within the Members area.    In addition, the programme for Braids 2016 has been published with details on online registration to be added over the next few weeks.