Handwoven 100% wool Irish crios, celtic handfasting cord, traditional Irish style belt, order yellows

A handwoven, woollen belt, approximately 5.4 cms wide, 225 cms long, plus tassels of around 8 cms. In the traditional style of the Irish crios, you can wear it as a belt, tie it over your woolly jumper or anorak to keep the wind out, or use it to add some colour to your modern ensemble. It can also be used as a handfasting cord for a traditional Irish/celtic wedding, or for whatever else you may wish.

My criosanna are made with pure wool yarn, sourced from one of the native hardy breeds of primitive sheep. The wool has been dyed and spun with a heather effect in colours that reflect the natural colours and textures of the Irish landscape. This one is woven from double knit yarn, so a little lighter weight than the aran weight criosanna. Woven by hand, the ends are braided and tied in the traditional style, then wet finished to strengthen and stabilise the weaving, and to allow the wool fibres to soften and relax into shape.

I have been handweaving for some years now, and have studied backstrap weaving with Mayan women in Guatemala, and travelled to the Arctic circle to learn about Sami weaving techniques, order but I am returning to my own ancestral roots for this one. The Irish crios (pronounced ‘kris') was the woven belt that was part of the traditional costume in times gone by, but much of the knowledge and skills of this form of weaving were destroyed in all but the remotest parts of Ireland. My parents and grandparents who grew up in rural Ireland did not learn such skills to pass that knowledge on to me, so I have had to develop my own vision of this traditional craft. I hope my ancestors would approve.

For best results, handwash in warm water and pull into shape before drying.