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Phil Parkes Maille

Contact name: Phil Parkes
Rating
(11)
3 months
with CraftCourses

Maker's bio

Welcome! I'm Phil Parkes. I use traditional hand crafting methods to create maille armour, based on historical research of original items. I really enjoy showing people the process of making maille and seeing them come away with something they've made themselves as well as a new confidence in using tools and an appreciation of what was involved in making maille in the past! The skills and techniques are accessible to anyone: I've worked with our local primary school, families at community events and adult workshops, and all have really enjoyed creating their own items and learning more. My experience with teaching led me to create 'Wooden Maille' kits to help teach the skills involved in putting together patterns and tailoring. I'm a member of the Heritage Crafts Association - as a maille maker I'm on their list of endangered crafts. My career has been in professionally conserving archaeological finds and teaching those skills as a Reader in Conservation at Cardiff University.

Courses, kits & gifts

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A Day of Traditional Maille Making
Next date: 11th Jun 2023
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Group Maille Making Workshop
Next date: 7th Jun 2023
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School Maille Making Workshops
Next date: 7th Jun 2023
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Team Maille Making
Next date: 7th Jun 2023
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Wooden Maille Construction Kit
50 items left

Recent reviews

All maker's reviews
5 Jun 23'

Katie Wainwright reviewed: School Maille Making Workshops

"Phil came in to facilitate a series of chainmaille workshops with a group of our Year 5 and 6 pupils. We were impressed by the interactive nature of the sessions and the way he linked the practical tasks with the Welsh Humanities AoLE. Pupil engagement was outstanding, including some pupils with ALN or behavioural difficulties. As a result of pupil feedback at the close of the course, we've asked Phil to return next academic year to work with our next cohort of pupils. We'd highly recommend the sessions to other schools looking to enhance their provision of Science and Tech D&T and Humanities Welsh history 'what matters' statements."

22 May 23'

Sorcha reviewed: A Day of Traditional Maille Making

"Extremely thorough instruction in all aspects of beginner maillemaking. Phil is an excellent teacher and very very patient. Even if you come to this course with absolutely zero prior knowledge and limited aptitude for other weaving-based crafts (like me), you will come away with a strong sense of the basics. For Reenactors or history geeks, it's worth the price for the opening lecture on different styles of European maille alone. Would recommend to anyone. "

Phil Parkes Maille responded:

" Thanks Sorcha, glad you enjoyed it and to hear that the 'theory' bit was useful too."

10 May 23'

Richard Melhuish reviewed: Group Maille Making Workshop

"Phil is very knowledgeable and a great communicator, the history of maille making was fascinating. I can heartily recommendation this course. "

Phil Parkes Maille responded:

" Thanks Richard, it was a pleasure running this course with the group."

5 May 23'

Kim H reviewed: A Day of Traditional Maille Making

"This course was so much fun! I wasn't sure what to expect, but Phil was a fountain of knowledge and experience that he was more than happy to share. He guided us through the process of making maille, from the very first steps of pulling the wire and making the rings to the later steps of weaving a panel of maille. He also taught us about some of the history of maille and how it was made in different periods, and we got to see some historical examples. Phil was really friendly and happy to answer all of our questions, even showing us how to repair our own maille armour for the future. The hours flew by. Highly recommended whether you're a reenactor, LARPer, cosplayer, historian, archaeologist, or somebody just interested in giving a new craft a try. "

Phil Parkes Maille responded:

" Thanks Kim. Hopefully the maille repair will come in handy and glad to hear you enjoyed the day."

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