A conference on braids from around the world is being held August 19-25 in Manchester, England. Braids 2012 is organized by the Braid Society,  an organization that also hosts study days, workshops and visits of interest. They publish a quarterly newsletter, and an annual journal, Strands.

Reading the 20-page conference program, I see enough time slots to attend four full workshop days, plus an entire day trip to the Macclesfield Silk Museum. Workshops include braids from China, Peru, Japan, the Baltic, and the Andes. Techniques include bobbin lace, tablet weaving, wire, ply split, beads (and an inkle loom), double braids, sprang, rigid heddle, and a bow loom. The cost is £445 for non-members (about $700), plus modest supply costs. Jacqui Carey is the keynote speaker.

I’m hoping that there will be samples of the projects on the website at a later date; I’d love to see them!