The (contemplative) Art of Cordage: Necklace Workshop with Saoirse Byrne at – New York City, NY

Get your tickets to see The (contemplative) Art of Cordage: Necklace Workshop with Saoirse Byrne in New York City, NY. Happening on Sunday, October 19, 2025 at . Doors open at 10:00 AM.

This will be a class where folks can come empty handed and learn the basic process of cordage from start to finish. Each student will have one necklace by the end of the class and can start another depending on the length and how quickly they pick up the process. They will also have a basic understanding of how to apply the technique to the materials in their lives. I will provide fabric, beads, examples and all tools needed.
Cordage is how we have made rope, twine, yarn, and thread by hand for at least sixty thousand years – it is one of our first technologies and the foundation of cloth. We often use the word technology to refer to digital technology, forgetting the origin of the words stemming from the hand and making.
Please join Saoirse Byrne in learning to turn fabrics back into cord that can be worn as beautiful and meaningful necklaces. Cordage is a simple and repetitive process that is accessible even to those who would not consider themselves artistic or craftsy and lends itself to conversation and contemplation. Come away with a necklace for yourself or as a gift, and an understanding of how to turn fabrics in your life into delightful and functional lengths of cord using this ancient process.
Saoirse Byrne is an artist, designer, and craftsperson based in rural Northern California. For over a decade she has been exploring the form of cordage in jewelry, accessories, soft furnishings, and custom commissions. Saoirse trained as a fashion designer at Rhode Island School of Design and graduated with an MBA in Sustainability from Presidio Graduate School in San Francisco among the pioneering cohort. Her exploration of cordage began when first seeing a New Zealand Flax leaf twisted into a beautiful linen-like thread by hand. Curious, she applied the process to the abundance of fabrics in her studio and life. A threadbare handkerchief that once belonged to her great grandmother was precious but altogether unusable but as cordage it became a strong loving reminder of family connections – a necklace that could be worn and a process that could be shared.

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