RSN Degree Graduates, Dev Patel and Carys Atkinson, are thrilled to be invited to discuss taking the world of hand embroidery from the traditional to streetwear and sustainability during the annual Port Eliot Festival in Cornwall, on Friday 26 July.  They will be part of a panel discussion in the ‘Fashion Foundation’ area, the festival’s home for fashion and art – setting fashion agendas and stimulating creative thinking about the future, especially around sustainability.

Dev and Carys will be in discussion with fashion ambassador Tamara Cincik, and will talk about their expertise and ambitions for moving hand embroidery in to new areas of practice.  It is absolutely wonderful for our 2019 Graduates to be part of the Festival, and to be speaking alongside renowned designers such as Zandra Rhodes and Alice Temperley.

Dev and Carys will then lead an inspiring ‘Funky Button’ workshop to brighten up festival gear.  Festival goers will embellish and embroider an over-sized ‘button’ as a fashion accessory, using upcycled materials, vintage beads and threads, to let their creativity go wild!

You can learn more here

Our Embroidery Studio recently completed restoration work on a beautiful sampler from 1834.  The sampler contains a sweet poem about being blessed with God’s love during childhood and centres around an embroidered depiction of St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

The first step for our expert team was to surface clean the front and back using a specialist low suction conservation vacuum.  This lifts any dust or dirt that may have been resting on the top and prevents any further damage.  Our Studio then supported the sampler onto a linen fabric in a sympathetic shade and repaired any holes and splits.  On completion of the repair work, the piece was mounted onto acid free conservation board ready for framing.

If you have an item of furniture, sampler or clothing that needs restoration or conservation, please contact our Embroidery Studio for a quote.  Email: [email protected] or call +44 (0)20 3166 6940.  All work is carried out and completed in our Studios at Hampton Court Palace.

 

First image shows restoration work completed.

Second image shows the sampler before the restoration.

Coming up this summer we will be running a series of classes for just one week in both Lancaster and Dublin.

We are heading to Lancaster 15–22 June to teach at The Story – one of the most recognisable buildings in the city.   We will be teaching four classes, offering a range of techniques for different levels including an Introduction to Embroidery Needlecase; Silk Shaded Viola and Silverwork Sheep Heat Bag for all abilities and a two day Intermediate Surface Stitch & Goldwork class to make a Beetle Lavender Bag.

We will also be teaching in Dublin 6–12 July.  RSN Tutor Kate Barlow will be running a series of one day classes for all levels, from Introduction to Blackwork and Crewelwork for beginners to Raised Embroidery Cupcake and 17th Century Silk Dog Rose for the more experienced stitcher.

View all forthcoming Day Classes

Congratulations to all our Degree Students who showcased their stunning work at our recent Degree Awards Evening. It was a fabulous evening and chance to celebrate all the hard work during this academic year. We were also delighted to welcome BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee presenter and Creative Director at E. Tautz menswear, Patrick Grant.

Here are a sample of some of the photos on the night.

Work from our graduating Degree students will be on display at Hampton Court Palace from 7 -15 June (closed Sunday 9 June).  You will need to book your place via our website for 11am or 2pm (11am and 12.30pm on Tuesday 11 June).   Alternatively you can call our Degree Admin team on 020 3166 6929.

If you would like to find out more about the Degree Course, we are also holding an extra Open Day on Friday 14 June.  (Saturday 15 June is fully booked). So you can meet our Degree team and have a chance to view the Graduate Show at the same time.  Book your place on an Open Day here.

Please note that booking is essential.

Wedding season is fast approaching and our Embroidery Studio has been busy repairing and cleaning heirloom wedding veils. Our expert team also embroider new wedding items including veils, dresses, shoes and even ring cushions to truly personalise your special day.

With wedding season around the corner and their Royal Highnesses William and Kate celebrating their 8^th wedding anniversary (the couple married on 29 April 2011), we thought there is no better time to remember the stunning wedding outfit of Kate Middleton created by our Embroidery Studio team.

Working with Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, our skilled embroiderers created the bespoke lace on Kate’s wedding dress, veil and shoes.  The lace design and process was influenced by traditional Carrickmacross lace which originated in Ireland in the 1820s.  Carrickmacross lace uses an embroidery technique called Appliqué and the lace is worked by applying organdy fabric to a delicate net background and edging each motif with fine cord-like thread.  Sarah Burton sourced a series of lace motifs to create a unique design, applied by the RSN and arranged to fit each part of the dress perfectly following her creative vision.  Each lace motif (some as small as a 5 pence piece) was applied with minute stitches every two to three millimetres.

One of the hallmarks of the RSN is that the embroiderers can work collectively on a project yet it will look like the work of one person. The team for this project comprised RSN Studio Stitchers, Tutors, Graduates and advanced students.  Hands were washed every 30 minutes to keep the lace and threads pristine; needles were renewed every 3 hours and only short lengths of thread were used, each no longer than 30cm. Also, to maintain an even appearance, no securing knots were used and it was important that the back of the work looked as neat as the front, another RSN hallmark.

The RSN Embroidery Studio works on large and small commissions, so whether you would like a simple personalised monogram on your wedding dress or for it be covered with embroidery and embellishment, our expert team can bring your vision to life.

For more details contact: [email protected] or call +44 (0) 20 3166 6940.

Spend the day stitching and enjoying the latest exhibition at a museum near you!  We have a few spaces left on our classes running at the D-Day Story in Portsmouth and the Fashion Museum Bath.

Students not only get to stitch a special embroidery design inspired by the exhibitions but they also have the opportunity to visit it too.

On Friday 24 May you can attend a Blackwork class at the D-Day Story. The D-Day Story is the only museum in the UK dedicated to the allied landings in June 1944 (codenamed ‘Operation Overlord’) and features the unique 272 feet ‘Overlord Embroidery’ which was created by the Royal School of Needlework.  The Blackwork design is a wartime image of searchlights and Mulberry harbours inspired by the Overlord Embroidery. The class is suitable for all levels including beginners. Click here for more details and to book.

Coming up in June, we have two classes at the Fashion Museum Bath. Each class features a design based on a clothing piece in the Museum’s exhibition ‘A History of Fashion in 100 Objects’.  Join the Blackwork class on Saturday 1 June based on a shirt dating from 1580-1600 or the Goldwork class on Saturday 15 June inspired by a woman’s waistcoat from around 1615. Classes are for suitable for all levels.  Find out more about the Fashion Museum classes and book here.

We are delighted to be returning to Dublin in July.  RSN Tutor Kate Barlow will be running a series of one day classes for all levels, from Introduction to Blackwork and Crewelwork for beginners to Raised Embroidery Cupcake and 17th Century Silk Dog Rose for the more experienced stitcher.

With only a limited number of spaces, please book now to avoid disappointment.

We will be teaching at The Constant Knitter and Irish Countrywomen’s Association.  Each one day class costs £155 (which includes the kit).

To book our Dublin classes click here or email: [email protected]

We are heading to Lancaster this June to teach at The Story – one of the most recognisable buildings in the city.  This prestigious Grade II listed building was constructed between 1887 and 1891 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.

RSN Tutor Sara Jane Dennis will be teaching four classes, offering a range of techniques for different levels including an Introduction to Embroidery Needlecase; Silk Shaded Viola and Silverwork Sheep Heat Bag for all abilities and a two day Intermediate Surface Stitch & Goldwork class to make a Beetle Lavender Bag.

View all classes and book.

In our February eNews, we announced news of a Korean Fashion project by our Second Year Degree Students.  We are delighted to be able to share their wonderful creations which went on display recently at the Stanley Picker Gallery in Kingston upon Thames, near London.

The project was a collaboration between the Royal School of Needlework and Kingston University BA Fashion with the Hanbok Advancement Centre. Representatives from the Hanbok Centre in Seoul visited the RSN and delivered engaging theory lectures and specialist skills workshops to our students.  The Hanbok Advancement Centre also provided fabrics and workbooks for the students and performed a Hanbok Bridal Ceremony.

Angie Wyman: “We were delighted to be part of this exciting collaboration to share and exchange ideas. Stitch is truly a universal language that holds no boundaries and a wonderful way to learn different cultures and ideas.”

The exhibition will travel to Seoul at the end of the year.

More information on our Degree Course

Attend the Graduate Degree Show

Attend an Open Day to find out more about the Degree Course

 

Following the success of our Family Days and many requests for classes for older children, we have launched our first Adult & Teen Workshop.

This will take place on Thursday 30 May at Hampton Court Palace during the school half term holidays.  Suitable for all levels the class design is inspired by a 1950s apron which is on display in our current Embroidered Home exhibition.

During the class our Tutors will demonstrate four key hand embroidery stitches: Buttonhole Stitch; French Knots; Stem Stitch and Couching and you will be introduced to the fundamentals of Appliqué. You will also have a chance to view the apron during the morning.

The class will run from 10.30am – 1pm and costs £40 for one adult and one teenager (you will both be stitching alongside each other).

Book here or contact [email protected] for further information.

We are delighted to announce that we will be returning to the Fashion Museum Bath, running a series of classes from May through to September.

Each class features a different technique and design based on clothing pieces in the Museum’s exhibition ‘A History of Fashion in 100 Objects’ and led by RSN Tutors, Kate Barlow or Deborah Wilding.  The class inspirations include gloves, waistcoats, a petticoat and shirt.  Students can also choose to create a Whitework lavender bag inspired by Jane Austen.

The classes are suitable for all levels and run from 10am to 4pm at Fashion Museum, Assembly Rooms, Bennett Street, Bath BA1 2QH.

Each class costs £84, plus £30 for the kit cost which is payable on the day of your class.  The class cost includes a ticket to the Museum which is valid for one month from the date of the class.

View all classes running in Bath.

View all Day Classes running across the UK.