The Braid Society held its inaugural meeting in London on 30th October 1993, and it has grown since then to include about 200 members across the UK and in many other countries.
The Society aims to promote the education and practice of the art and craft of making constructed or embellished braids and narrow bands.
All appropriate interests are encouraged, and membership is open to everyone.
Some members make braids (as amateurs or professionals); some teach others to make them; some collect and research them.

Techniques include Japanese braiding (Kumihimo), ply-split braiding, inkle weaving (narrow band weaving), cords, lucet, tablet weaving, sprang, and finger-manipulated work.

Practical events include an annual residential weekend at Westhope College, Shropshire.

"See and Share" days around the United Kingdom.
This is an opportunity for members and all interested people to meet up,
see braid work and exchange ideas

Study days, workshops and visits of interest are also offered.

We publish a quarterly newsletter,
(Submissions for publication to the Editor - editor@braidsociety.com)
and publish an annual journal "Strands".

A subscription to "Strands" accompanies membership,
Society members may also purchase extra copies and back issues.
Strands 2003 and beyond - £5 plus p&p
Strands 2002 and before - £3 plus p&p
backissues@braidsociety.com

To give you some idea of the contents and the contributors to Strands, the contents of the last three issues are shown below. A full cumulative index can be viewed here.

Strands issue 12 - 2005 edition.
Author Title/Subject
Rod Byatt Kumihimo in Kansai: Travel notes of a braider
Ruth Black Weaving Fringes using the Heath Robinson method
Shirley Berlin Braiding with Rawhide and Leather
Masako Kinoshita Two-person Loop Braiding Procedures Converted for Working Alone
Ruth MacGregor Weaving with Angels
Strands Issue 13 - 2006
Author Title/Subject
Gudran Polak Cross-pollination in fiber arts
Robyn Spady Big impact from small bands
Rodrick Owen Interlaced braids – an overview
Ruth MacGregor Rodrick Owen
Margot Lees A heartbreak no more
Strands Issue 14 - 2007
Author Title/Subject
Sarah Lowry Machine and handmade braids
Kathe Todd-Hooker Old Believers in Oregon
Ann Brammer Memories of Guizhou
Jacqui Carey Portrait of a Miao braidmaker
Jacqui Carey A 9-element 8-ridge flat braid from the Miao tradition
Shirley Berlin Korean braiding – Kkunmok. The cords that make Maedup
Ruth MacGregor famous art of Korean knotting