Veronica Main is the most experienced traditional straw plaiter in the UK. For more than 40 years she has rigorously researched the industries of the UK, Europe and the United States, unlocking information and learning how to recreate plaits using authentic techniques. She was awarded an MBE in the 2021 New Year's Honours list for her services to Straw Hat Plaiting and Endangered Crafts Skills.Heritage Crafts is the national charity for traditional heritage crafts in the UK, founded in 2009 to support and promote heritage crafts as a fundamental part of our living heritage. www.heritagecrafts.org.uk

This impressive and thoroughly researched book traces the journey of straw from farmer’s field to finished hat. Veronica Main has covered the subject in depth with good illustrations, and the clearly drawn patterns show the many ways straw can be plaited ... we should now make more use of it as a renewable resource.

• AcknowledgementsForeword by Marian NicholsIntroductionTerminology1. Straw Plaiting in Great Britain2. Straw Plaiting in the Atlantic Islands and North America3. Straw Plaiting in Europe4. The Decline of the Straw Plaiting Industry5. Plaiting Materials6. Straw Preparation7. Tools of the Trade8. Development of Plait Patterns9. Preparing to Plait10. Plait InstructionsThree, Five and Seven End PlaitsNine and Eleven EndsBasic PlaitsRustic PlaitsPiping and PorcupinePurl and MossBatwing or VandykeFeather and WispDiamond and WaveBrilliantTrimmingsEndnotesConversion TablesGlossaryBibliographyPicture CreditsIndex

Veronica Main is the most experienced traditional straw plaiter in the UK. For more than 40 years she has rigorously researched the industries of the UK, Europe and the United States, unlocking information and learning how to recreate plaits using authentic techniques. She was awarded an MBE in the 2021 New Year's Honours list for her services to Straw Hat Plaiting and Endangered Crafts Skills.Heritage Crafts is the national charity for traditional heritage crafts in the UK, founded in 2009 to support and promote heritage crafts as a fundamental part of our living heritage. www.heritagecrafts.org.uk

This impressive and thoroughly researched book traces the journey of straw from farmer’s field to finished hat. Veronica Main has covered the subject in depth with good illustrations, and the clearly drawn patterns show the many ways straw can be plaited ... we should now make more use of it as a renewable resource.

• AcknowledgementsForeword by Marian NicholsIntroductionTerminology1. Straw Plaiting in Great Britain2. Straw Plaiting in the Atlantic Islands and North America3. Straw Plaiting in Europe4. The Decline of the Straw Plaiting Industry5. Plaiting Materials6. Straw Preparation7. Tools of the Trade8. Development of Plait Patterns9. Preparing to Plait10. Plait InstructionsThree, Five and Seven End PlaitsNine and Eleven EndsBasic PlaitsRustic PlaitsPiping and PorcupinePurl and MossBatwing or VandykeFeather and WispDiamond and WaveBrilliantTrimmingsEndnotesConversion TablesGlossaryBibliographyPicture CreditsIndex

Veronica Main is the most experienced traditional straw plaiter in the UK. For more than 40 years she has rigorously researched the industries of the UK, Europe and the United States, unlocking information and learning how to recreate plaits using authentic techniques. She was awarded an MBE in the 2021 New Year's Honours list for her services to Straw Hat Plaiting and Endangered Crafts Skills.Heritage Crafts is the national charity for traditional heritage crafts in the UK, founded in 2009 to support and promote heritage crafts as a fundamental part of our living heritage. www.heritagecrafts.org.uk

This impressive and thoroughly researched book traces the journey of straw from farmer’s field to finished hat. Veronica Main has covered the subject in depth with good illustrations, and the clearly drawn patterns show the many ways straw can be plaited ... we should now make more use of it as a renewable resource.

• AcknowledgementsForeword by Marian NicholsIntroductionTerminology1. Straw Plaiting in Great Britain2. Straw Plaiting in the Atlantic Islands and North America3. Straw Plaiting in Europe4. The Decline of the Straw Plaiting Industry5. Plaiting Materials6. Straw Preparation7. Tools of the Trade8. Development of Plait Patterns9. Preparing to Plait10. Plait InstructionsThree, Five and Seven End PlaitsNine and Eleven EndsBasic PlaitsRustic PlaitsPiping and PorcupinePurl and MossBatwing or VandykeFeather and WispDiamond and WaveBrilliantTrimmingsEndnotesConversion TablesGlossaryBibliographyPicture CreditsIndex