Rug Braiders International
formerly known as the Valley Forge Rug Braiding Guild
March 2025​
Guild Meeting: Saturday, March 1, at 1 pm EST over Zoom. Hear about upcoming events and classes, and see a Demo on braiding a 4-Leaf Clover! Meeting is followed by Show and Tell!
​
Braid Help: Sunday, Mar 2, at 4 pm EST over Zoom. Bring your problems and questions to Braid Help, and teachers will be available to help you. Or, just come and hang out with other braiders! One hour.​​​​
​
Braid Help: Sunday, Mar 16, at 4 pm EST over Zoom. Bring your problems and questions to Braid Help, and teachers will be available to help you. Or, just come and hang out with other braiders! One hour.
​
Special Event: Saturday, Mar 29, at 1 pm over Zoom. Christine Manges presents "Knit and Braided Rugs," featuring the works of Shaker Eldress Elvira C. Hulett. Also see works by Lancaster County knit/braiders, and their copies by Interior Designer Judi Boisson. See a demo of how to knit with wool strips, and how to lace them to braids.
​
April 2025​
Guild Meeting: Saturday, April 5, at 1 pm EST over Zoom. VOTE on bylaw changes and a Name Change!! Hear about upcoming events and classes, and see a "Demo" featuring a Panel of Left-handed and Ambidextrous rug braiders, talking about what the differences are in their braiding and lacing, and how to teach rug braiding to Lefties. Meeting is followed by Show and Tell!
​
Braid Help: Sunday, April 6, at 4 pm EST over Zoom. Bring your problems and questions to Braid Help, and teachers will be available to help you. Or, just come and hang out with other braiders! One hour.​​​​
​
Braid Help: Sunday, April 13, at 4 pm EST over Zoom. Bring your problems and questions to Braid Help, and teachers will be available to help you. Or, just come and hang out with other braiders! One hour.
​
Braiding Conference!!! Thursday, April 24 - Sunday, April 27 in Lewiston NY near Niagara Falls. See more information under the Events --> Conference Tab. Come braid with us!!
​​​
May 2025​
Guild Meeting: Saturday, May 3, at 1 pm EST over Zoom. See a slide show of the recent braiding conference, and see a Demo on LO vs RO Braiding: Pam Rowan & Christine Manges. Meeting is followed by Show and Tell!
​
Braid Help: Sunday, May 4, at 4 pm EST over Zoom. Bring your problems and questions to Braid Help, and teachers will be available to help you. Or, just come and hang out with other braiders! One hour.​​​​
​
Braid Help: Sunday, May 18, at 4 pm EST over Zoom. Bring your problems and questions to Braid Help, and teachers will be available to help you. Or, just come and hang out with other braiders! One hour.
​
Special Event: Saturday, May 31, at 1 pm over Zoom. Janet Fitzgerald will present a program on her mother, Barbara Fisher, who was an innovative and skilled rug braider and teacher. She developed, "The Perfect Butt"© and her butted patterns have helped thousands create beautiful rugs! ​​
June 2025​
Guild Meeting: Saturday, June 7, at 1 pm EST over Zoom. Meeting is followed by Show and Tell!
​
Braid Help: Sunday, June 8, at 4 pm EST over Zoom. Bring your problems and questions to Braid Help, and teachers will be available to help you. Or, just come and hang out with other braiders! One hour.​​​​
​
Braid Help: Sunday, June 22, at 4 pm EST over Zoom. Bring your problems and questions to Braid Help, and teachers will be available to help you. Or, just come and hang out with other braiders! One hour.
​
Special Event: Saturday, June 28, at 1 pm over Zoom. Cookie Washington will present, "What Does 112 Pounds Have to Do with Me?" -- A Program on Textile Waste. Hear about the huge problem of discarded fashions and what you can do about it.
​​
​
Summer Break! July & August 2025
No programs except Braid Help every two Sundays over Zoom at 4pm with teacher Christine Manges, and many braiders will be traveling to Sauder Village Rug Hooking Week in Archbold, Ohio, where an exhibit of braided rugs will be displayed.
​
Braid Help: Sundays at 4pm over Zoom
Get rug braiding questions answered, problems solved, share your work, and see what everyone else is working on!
July 6 & 20
August 3, 17, & 31
​
Braid Exhibit at Sauder Village Rug Hooking Week, August 12-16, 2025, Tuesday - Saturday. Visit https://saudervillage.org/classes-events/special-events/rug-hooking-week-2025 for more details. Beautiful braided rugs will be on display!! Also check out the amazing exhibit of hooked rugs.
​
​
​
Upcoming Braid Conference Dates:
​
2025: RBI Conference at Stella Niagara, April 24-27, 2025
4421 Lower River Rd, Lewiston, NY 14092
More info: See "Conference" tab under "Events"
Rug Challenge: Braided Water (Oceans, Rivers, Waves, Whirlpools .... Rain... Undersea life...)
​
2026: RBI -- dates and location TBA Rug Challenge: Mixed Media (Braiding with different fabrics or materials, incorporating different fiber techniques...)
Rug Braiders International encourages and is happy to publicize all gatherings that include rug braiding. However, our insurance company requires us to post that ONLY the events that are sponsored by Rug Braiders International and approved by the Executive Board are covered under our liability insurance.