Mastercrafts - Weaving

Monty Don celebrates six of the traditional crafts that built our nation and its heritage, ranging from thatching to stonemasonry. Under Monty's watchful eye, three hopefuls who are passionate about learning crafts are put through their paces by the country's leading practitioners Monty enters the colourful world of the handloom weaver. Fashion designer Holly Berry, 26, ex-City business analyst Tref Davies, 35; and craft writer Momtaz Begum-Hossain, 28, head to the Sussex countryside to embark on an intensive introduction to this most complicated, but ultimately satisfying, of crafts. 2000 years ago, the Romans introduced hand looms to Britain and by the 15th century, British weaving was among the most accomplished in Europe. The industrial revolution and the invention of power looms turned the cottage weaving industry into a global market. Nowadays there are fewer than 200 people in the UK making a career from hand weaving and the group's mentor, Margo Selby, is one of them. With thirteen years' experience behind her, she supplies internationally to top boutiques and prestigious department stores from her central London studio. While the trainees grapple with winding warps, setting looms, threading headles and handling shuttles, Monty explores the importance of hand weaving in history, visiting Hampton Court to experience the finest examples of hand-woven tapestries in existence. The trainees are immersed in the world of weaving, attempting to sell their woven wares to the general public. Finally, putting all they have learnt into practice, they are asked to both design and weave three-metre lengths of fabric to be judged by Michelle Bowen from the Arts Council and Angela Swan from the Worshipful Company of Weavers.