About

I am Claire and I have been working with raffia for over 30 years! My raffia craft journey started with a visiting Australia who ran hat making workshops in Hampshire, UK - I went along and you could say I was hooked (or pegged, that would be a better raffia joke!). Since that time in the early 90s I have run many workshops teaching how to make stunning raffia hats or bags across a lot of the UK. I also wrote a book on Raffia back in the 90s, published by The Crowood Press.

I have now probably taught over 400 people. I never cease to be excited about introducing someone new to raffia....it is such an accessible craft, plus being a beautifully forgiving material...and let's not forget sustainably harvested. Sustainable fashion anyone? I still have a hat that I made back in those early 90s and I could have also sold it many times over, even thought it has been packed, swum in and generally mistreated over the years. I have, however, decided it is a keeper...

I still run workshops in the UK and my students continue to make fabulous pieces too, as you can see on my instagram page.

Thanks for stopping by, please get in touch with any raffia questions, I am happy to help. Claire Richards, from Dorset, UK