Clare Hedges makes passementerie by hand at East Bilney, just north of Dereham in mid Norfolk: the tassels, braids, fringes, cords and covered buttons that finish a room. It's classed as an endangered craft. Very few people in Britain still make it by hand to this standard, and Clare is one of them. She has been weaving since she was a child and has run her own business since 2000, working on the looms in her studio. What she's best at is colour. Give her a fabric that nothing in a sample book quite matches and she'll find the threads that do, or pick out a detail in the pattern and echo it in the trim. She can also remake a worn braid or tassel on an antique piece to match the original. That eye is why her work is in National Trust houses including Oxburgh Hall, in private stately homes and on horse-drawn carriages. Interior designers, restorers and people doing up their own houses come to her for the same reason. She'll show you how it's done, too. She runs occasional workshops and courses which means that if you are lucky enough to book a space on one you can visit the studio, see the looms and make your own key tassel. She has also taught the craft at West Dean College and for the V&A.

Awards and Recognition

Clare is a listed maker in the Heritage Crafts directory. Her commissions include National Trust properties such as Oxburgh Hall, private stately homes and braid for horse-drawn carriages, and she specialises in colour matching and reproducing antique pieces. She has taught passementerie at West Dean College and in online classes for the V&A.

Social Media

https://www.instagram.com/hedgesclare/

Can people visit or buy direct?

Yes, by commission. Every piece is made to order and there's no minimum quantity, from a short length of braid to repair a heritage piece to enough trimming for a whole room. A couple of fabric swatches and a rough idea are enough to start. Studio visits, where you can see the looms and make a key tassel, are booked through Airbnb Experiences from her website. Small tassel-making courses are announced on her Instagram.

Website

https://www.clarehedges.com

Address Summary

East Bilney, Dereham, Norfolk