A Medieval Town, Parisian Elegance and the Art of Passementerie
A gorgeous array of tassels and rosettes that my lovely group of learners made during our 3 day passementerie masterclass.
What an absolutely magical experience April brought! I had the wonderful opportunity to partner with Creative Experiences, a specialist travel company whose 15 years of experience in curating exceptional craft retreats and holidays truly showed throughout our adventure. Together, we created something truly special: a three-day passementerie masterclass followed by three days of immersive Parisian experiences.
Meeting our International Family of Makers
From the moment our group of 15 gathered, I knew we were in for something extraordinary! What a joy it was to welcome textile enthusiasts from across the globe - the UK, USA, Switzerland, Sweden and The Netherlands - all united by their passion for traditional crafts. The beautiful thing about working with such a brilliant, friendly and talented group was seeing how quickly strangers became friends, bonded by threads, tassels and shared discoveries.
Remarkably, only one participant, Ruth, had prior passementerie experience, yet everyone jumped in with such enthusiasm and curiosity. By the end of our time together, each person had created a wonderful assortment of passementerie pieces to treasure and display at home - lovely, tangible reminders of techniques passed down through generations.
One of the many charming, historical buildings located in the town centre of Provins. I love the eclectic combination of colours, stripes and crosses!
Our base for the masterclass was the charming medieval town of Provins, nestled just south of Paris and once home to both a thriving Rose growing industry and a base for varied Medieval craftsmen. There’s something deeply appropriate about learning these ancient, endangered passementerie techniques in a setting that has witnessed centuries of craftsmanship. Our hotel, beautifully positioned in the heart of this UNESCO World Heritage site, provided the perfect atmosphere for our work.
The teaching space itself was a dream - large, bright and airy, tucked away in the atmospheric eaves of the hotel. Natural light streamed through the windows as we worked, illuminating the intricate details of our passementerie.
Mastering Passementerie
Over three intensive days, we explored a rich variety of traditional and endangered craft skills. The gentle sound of frame looms filled our teaching space as learners learned the rhythm of passementerie weaving. We delved into the precise techniques of tassel making, from forming the perfect tassel skirt, to creating satisfying hand spun cords that give each piece its distinctive character.
A gloriously colourful hand woven braid underway on the loom.
Tassel construction underway! A luxuriously thick red cotton tassel skirt (top) has just been completed and is awaiting transformation into a complete tassel. The tassel top (middle, right) has just been covered with thread and cord.
Audrey’s beautiful collection of finished passementerie - a glorious key tassel, two rosettes and two hand woven braids.
Rosette making was especially popular - there’s something deeply satisfying about watching these intricate decorative elements bloom under careful hands. We explored diverse techniques such as ruffs, snailing and collar making.
The joy wasn’t just in learning the techniques themselves, but in watching each learner find their own rhythm, develop their own style, and gain confidence with each new skill mastered. The atmosphere was filled with laughter, discovery, and that special satisfaction that comes from crafting something beautiful and tangible with your own hands.
Julie weaving passementerie braids on a frame loom. The design on the left matches her beautiful outfit perfectly!
Parisian Perfection
Our move to Paris marked the beginning of three glorious days in the heart of the City. What made this portion of the retreat truly exceptional were the bespoke experiences we had crafted specifically for our group of passementerie enthusiasts.
The private visit to Declerq Passementerie was nothing short of inspiring. This 7th generation Passementier, steeped in centuries of French craftsmanship tradition, opened its doors exclusively for our group. Witnessing master craftspeople at work, seeing the tools of the trade in their authentic setting, and being able to shop some of their special passementerie made our visit so special.
Above: Historic passementerie treasures from the archive of Declerq Passementerie.
Rebecca Devaney’s private textile tour of Paris’ haberdasheries was equally fabulous. Her expert knowledge illuminated the rich textile heritage woven throughout the city’s textile districts. We discovered hidden gems, learned about the evolution of couture materials and techniques and we had access to some fabulous shops, including Au Ver a Soie, which is usually closed to the public.
A thrilling array of passementerie, ribbons and tassels awaited us on our private visit to Ultramod haberdashery.
There’s something transformative about experiencing passementerie through the lens of practical knowledge. Every tassel, every piece of braid, every decorative cord suddenly spoke to my lovely learners in a new language - one they had just learned to speak themselves.
The magic of shared learning
What struck me most throughout our week together was the power of shared learning. Watching complete passementerie novices support each other, celebrate each other’s successes, and problem-solve together reminded me why I am so passionate about teaching these traditional skills. The techniques we learned may be centuries old, but the joy of creation, the satisfaction of mastery, and the bonds formed through shared discoveries are timeless.
As we said goodbye, each learner carrying their handmade treasures and newfound skills, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the opportunity to share this endangered, traditional craft with such a wonderful group. For those of you who’ve been following my work and wondering about joining a future passementerie adventure, I can say with complete confidence that these immersive experiences offer something truly special. There’s nothing quite like learning traditional crafts in a historical context, surrounded by fellow enthusiasts who share your passion for continuing and celebrating textile heritage.
A resplendent set of curtain tassels spotted at the Louvre.
Ready for our next adventure?
Our Marrakesh Passementerie Retreat 2026 with Creative Experiences is coming! Imagine learning passementerie in Morocco's vibrant cultural heart. We will be staying at 5-star luxury accommodation and we will have private access to the most special textile highlights that Marrakesh has to offer. Preview available now and bookings go live this Sunday 15th June! Please click here for more information.
From medieval France to magnificent Morocco - who's ready to join this incredible textile journey? Don't miss out on what promises to be our most exotic adventure yet!