I can’t believe we are mentioning ‘Christmas’ already…but perhaps some of you are already starting to plan your Christmas parties?

Have you ever thought of arranging a Bespoke RSN Christmas event at Hampton Court Palace and creating embellished Christmas decorations with friends or colleagues?  It would certainly be a unique event and one to be remembered.  Contact Natalie Thew on 020 3166 6939 or email  [email protected] to arrange a Christmas party to treasure.

The good news is that we are not the only ones already thinking of Christmas, as many of our Christmas Day Classes are now sold out!  As a result we have added a few more.  Click here to view all our forthcoming Christmas themed classes.  Alternatively, email [email protected] or call Noleen Wyatt-Jones on 020 3166 6938.

We have also produc ed a new Christmas card design for 2017 which is available from the RSN shop and features a piece of creative metal thread work by RSN Diploma graduate Jane Francis.

The new September 2017 – August 2018 Day Class Brochure is now available and full of wonderful new classes for all levels.

If you are a complete beginner, we recommend starting with an ‘Introduction to Embroidery’ class, and then progressing to one of our ‘Introduction to a Technique’ classes.  For students who have more experience, we have a wide range of Intermediate and Advanced classes or you can also take a ‘Mixed Ability’ class as the Tutor adapts the design and stitches depending upon the student’s ability.

To view our new brochure click here.  To view all the forthcoming Day Classes on-line click here.

If you belong to a Guild, Association or stitch group and would like to distribute our new brochure to your group, please let us know and we can post them out to you.  Simply email Olivia Gecseg with your name, organisation name, address and the quantity required.

All our Degree Students are now back and were busy stitching over the summer.

Our First Years were tasked with creating their own pincushions with a ‘postcard from home’ theme.  They are all so different using a variety of designs, shapes and colours (see above).

And our Second Year Students were tasked with researching, sampling and creating an Archive of Stitch, showcasing the A to Z of stitches (images: right and below).

If you are interested in our Degree Course, please book onto one of our forthcoming Open Days which take place on:

10am & 2pm on 11 October

11am on 4 November

10am & 2pm on 29 November

10am & 2pm on 6 December

Click here for the request booking form.

For more details on the course, visit our Degree website or call 020 3166 6929.

Our next Family Stitch Day is on Wednesday 25th October, from 2pm – 4pm.

This popular session includes a short and child friendly presentation about the RSN and our latest Embellishment in Fashion exhibition, a tour of the exhibition for adults and a bespoke embroidery session for the children where they will embroider and embellish a Venetian Maskmotif created by one of our RSN tutors.

The cost of the Family Day is £30 and includes 1 adult and up to 2 children and the kits. The recommended age for the children is 5 years and above.

For bookings click here.

Alternatively, email [email protected]  or contact Natalie Thew on 020 3166 6939 for further information.

We have launched  a range of limited edition Greetings Cards. Celebrating our history and featuring inspiring images from our Archive & Textile Collection, there are 5 cards in a pack and 5 different selections to choose from.  Each pack costs £8.50.

The striking images range from pieces from our Textile Collection and Royal Patrons to past Principals, Mrs Hamilton-King or Lady Smith-Dorrien, and the workroom during the 1940’s and 50’s.

These card packs are a limited edition and produced as part of our 30th anniversary of being at Hampton Court Palace.

Click here to view the full range

We have continued to welcome students over the summer with the combination of our Short Courses running alongside our Certificate & Diploma Summer Intensives.

Many schools close during the summer months, but we remain open and as busy as ever becoming a retreat for many of our international students.

Our Certificate & Diploma Summer Intensives are a perfect example of this. Two of our students who are in fact teachers themselves attended two of the intense courses.  Additionally over half of the attendees came from overseas, with more than 50% travelling from the USA and Australia.

Some students even use the summer as an opportunity to complete their Certificate in one visit and study for all 4 techniques over the eight week period. This is an amazing effort by these students and we are very proud of all our students who complete it.

Following feedback from our regular students, we have also run additional Certificate & Diploma classes over the summer which have proved popular and something to look out for next year!

If you think the Certificate & Diploma might be for you, then please book onto one of our C&D Open Days.  Potential students can join us for a morning or afternoon and see first hand the learning environment, meet the Tutors and students and see work both completed and in progress. There is also plenty of opportunity to ask questions.  Click here for more details or call T: +44 (0)20 3166 6928.

Our new exhibition Embellishment in Fashion at Hampton Court Palace is now open!

Throughout the years, both professional and amateur dressmakers have used embroidery and beading to embellish garments and accessories. This exciting new display from the RSN’s unique Textile Collection captures the style and versatility of embroidery and embellishment from the 18th to 21st centuries.  It showcases a wide range of pieces from blouses and men’s waistcoats to purses, gloves and shoes.  It will also, for the first time, feature the use of augmented reality to show you aspects you cannot see easily.

Bookings are now open. There are different Tour options to suit all interests including Talk & Tours, Tour & Taster workshops; as well as Curator’s Tours that include rare insights to additional pieces from the RSN Collection.  We also offer bespoke Group Tours.  Tours start from £16 per person and the exhibition runs until March 2018.

Dates of our new Tour & Taster workshops: 10 October; 14 November and next year 24 January; 21 February and 20 March.  These workshops give you the opportunity to visit the exhibition in the morning and then enjoy an embroidery workshop in the afternoon, creating a design inspired by the exhibition.  The design for this series of workshops has been inspired by an embroidered woven silk panel from a sack back dress from the RSN Collection. Tour & Taster workshops cost £75 per person.

To view a diverse range of objects with embellishment spanning 250 years, book your place via our website or contact Natalie Thew on +44 (0)20 3166 6939.   The exhibition is in the RSN’s Embroidery Studio at Hampton Court Palace and is only open on set days, so pre-booking is essential.

We were delighted to welcome award winning soprano and actress Michelle Todd to the RSN over the summer.  Michelle is rehearsing for a new theatre production called ‘Bess the Commoner Queen’ which is a one-woman show mixing theatre with film.  She is playing Bess Hardwick, who was an accomplished needlewoman.

Michelle attended a Private Lesson at the RSN to understand the art of hand embroidery and ensure her character is as realistic as possible as she will need to stitch on stage.

If you would like to find out more about the character, visit bessofhardwick.org.  The play has been written by acclaimed playwright Kevin Fegan and is showing at The Guildhall Theatre in Derby from 28 September – 1 October.

For more information about Private Lessons, please contact Natalie Thew or call +44(0) 20 3166 6939.

Thank you for the huge response we received to attend our Anniversary Tea Party.

To those of you who were unable to attend and would like to buy the limited edition RSN Commemorative Book please click here.  The book is full of photos highlighting our last 30 years based at Hampton Court Palace, from Studio commissions to a range of students’ work, don’t miss the chance to get your copy.

Here are just a few of the wonderful comments we received from the day:

“I would just like to say what a wonderful afternoon my mother and I had yesterday at the RSN exhibition and tea party. We met some very interesting people and saw some magnificent work. I am truly in awe of the skills of your students and staff. I only hope that someday my work could be of a similar standard.”

“I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed The Celebration yesterday afternoon.  You and your team created a really joyous occasion, with a lovely balance of pleasure in past achievements but also energy in bringing new things to the future.”

“How good it was to be at yesterday’s anniversary tea party. The whole afternoon was excellent, and HCP did the RSN proud with the tea. I’ve just read the book that we were given, and that is a fabulous record to keep. The work that must have gone into everything must have been enormous, but it certainly paid off.  As always I’m totally inspired by seeing other people’s work, so also greatly enjoyed the exhibition.”

Our BA (Hons)  Hand Embroidery for Fashion, Interiors, Textile Art Graduates have been very busy over the last few months.

In June, they hosted our Degree Graduation Showwhich featured their final project work and designs. This was the first year that the Graduation Show was held at our Degree apartments at Hampton Court Palace, it was previously at the UCA in Farnham. The exhibition gave visitors not only the opportunity to view the extraordinary breadth of the Third Year Students’ work and meet the creative talent of the future, but also to immerse themselves in our unique educational setting.

As always we have been amazed by the quality and creativity of their work and we are extremely proud to announce that four of our Degree Students received First Class Honours!

Our Graduates have also been out and about, showcasing their work at the 2017 New Designers show, in London.  The New Designers exhibition brings together design education, consumers and industry to celebrate and recognise the next generation.  Showcasing fresh thinking and talent, it celebrates the excellence of craft and design education in the UK and is renowned for kick starting careers.

Well done to all our Graduates and watch this space to hear which career paths they take next!

Join us in July for one of our Embroidery Day Classes at Hampton Court Palace.  We have a few remaining spaces for all levels including Introductions, Developing Classes and a Masterclass for the more Advanced stitchers.

15 & 16 July: Developing Goldwork: ‘Flower’  Learn traditional Goldwork embroidery with this stunning flower design.  Experience traditional materials with gilt threads and wires on a rich linen fabric.

16 July Introduction to Embroidery: Starburst  Learn the following traditional techniques: back stitch, chain stitch, stem stitch, button hole, herringbone, satin stitch and French knots.

Two separate 1 day classes on 20 & 22 July: Developing Opus Anglicanum This one day experimental class focuses on exploring the effect of shading and garments as well as looking at underside couching patterns.

24, 25 & 26 July: Masterclass Advanced GoldworkProject  In this three day class the Goldwork bird design uses a variety of advanced traditional techniques, including felt and hard string padding; couching threads, applying pearl purl and leather kid; cut work, broad plate and basket weave over the string.

16 August Tour & Taster: Introduction to Stumpwork Enjoy a Talk & Tour of our current exhibition Stories in Stitch in the morning with a Taster embroidery workshop in the afternoon.

For more Introduction Classes at Hampton Court Palace in the next couple of weeks, please click here.

For all forthcoming Day Classes across the UK & in Dublin, please click here.

Alternatively, please contact Noleen Wyatt-Jones by email or call +44 (0)20 3166 6938

Bridget Maynard, a past pupil of our Head of Studio and Teaching, Anne Butcher, recently brought in a very rare find to our Embroidery Studio and caused great excitement.

Bridget’s piece was a Stumpwork picture that she purchased at an art fair in Battersea.It appears to be from around the mid 17th century at a time when domestic embroidery was a popular pastime and designs could be purchased pre-drawn onto the fabric. Since the early 15th century design books have featured different elements that could be combined, making it easier for embroiderers. For example, the stag that appears on this piece can also be seen on an embroidery in the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Liverpool and the Kingfisher is also on an embroidery in Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York. The design here has the traditional combination of royalty, figures, castle, church, foliage and animals.

All embroidery has been worked directly onto the background fabric, except the needlelace slips. The embroidery looks padded as there are a lot of threads on the reverse left loose and hanging (see right of the pear tree). There is a combination of silk embroidery along with some Metal Thread embroidery. The stag is worked in the most exquisitely fine gimp thread that has been couched around the shape in parallel rows.

Very excitingly, small remains of a couched down peacock feather were found within the caterpillar embroidery, between the two ladies, just under the head. (It can be seen more clearly in photograph than with the naked eye).  Unusually the Moss Stitch parrot has an underlying layer of embroidery.

This Stumpwork piece has previously undergone some conservation work as it has been covered with surface couching which is now deteriorating as well.  Our Embroidery Studio has secured some of the weaker areas of this conservation using invisible thread. There was also evidence that adhesive treatment had previously been used, which had unfortunately caused some damage (see top right of donkey for remains of paper and adhesive). This has been left untouched and just received support from the new fabric that the piece has now been placed upon, but will show the journey the piece has been through.

It is amazing to find a piece like this for sale and an absolute treat for the Embroidery Studio to have conserved it.  Thank you to Bridget for bringing it to us!