Unleash your imagination with our stunning range of design, drawing and painting equipment and elevate your creativity to new heights.

Dive into the vibrant world of colours with our range of paints, colouring pencils, sketchbooks and more, carefully curated to help breathe life into your artwork.

Whether you are creating new embroidery designs, are a seasoned painter or an aspiring artist, our collection has something for everyone.

 

Design, Painting and Drawing Equipment

Faber-Castell Pencils

Get your hands on a set of these award win 18 Faber-Castell Colour Grip pencils with six special edition sparkle pastel pencils, water-soluble colour, easy-sharpen leads, water-based varnish, and ergonomic triangular barrel with soft raised grip dots.

 

Tombow Watercolour Set

These beautiful Tombow watercolour sets contain a selection of brushes, pens and pencils designed to work together to enable the artist to create stunning watercolour paintings.

Midori Leather Ring Bound Memo/Sketch Book

This dark brown leather covered notepad from Midori is a small yet stylish pad that is perfect for taking notes or sketching. It contains 50 sheets of both smooth white lined paper and plain paper to help bring your creative designs to life.

Shop the full range of equipment here

Sign up to our eNewsletter to get monthly mailings about our product launches

 

Feeling Inspired?

Take one of our upcoming Online and Onsite ‘Design & Drawing’ Day & Evening Classes, to put your creativity into practice and get inspired.

Whether you are looking for a drawing class for beginners, getting to grips with colour theory, or perfecting your Blackwork or Jacobean Crewelwork designs, there’s something for everyone!

Day & Evening Classes 

From a brand new lovely Partnership Class at Hillsborough Castle to lots of International Summer School classes at Hampton Court Palace, August is set to be an exciting month at the RSN.

 

International Summer School Classes at Hampton Court Palace

Exploring Drawing & Sources of Creative Inspiration – Sunday 30 July – Friday 4 August

Coronation Pincushion – Monday 31 July – Friday 4 August

A Blackwork Bookshelf of Stories – Monday 14 August – Thursday 17 August

Colour in Flight: Combining Paint & Stitch – Wednesday 16 August – Saturday 19 August

Whitework Seahorse – Monday 21 August – Thursday 24 August

Embroidered & Embellished Victorian Patchwork – Monday 21 August – Friday 25 August

Goldwork Monogram – Tuesday 22 August – Friday 25 August

 

Partnership Classes

Coronation Gold inspired by The Queen Mother’s Coronation Robe: HRP & Linen Biennale – Hillsborough Castle, Northern Ireland – Friday 25 August

 

Events and Exhibitions

The Royal School of Needlework & Five Coronations 1902 – 2023 –  RSN Embroidery Studio, Hampton Court Palace – Wednesday 26 July – Thursday 16 November

Fields of EveryWhen featuring the work of RSN Degree Students – Thamesmead Library, London – Open until mid September

 

Online Talks

See our Talks On Demand to catch up on past Live Online Talks

 

Future Dates For Your Diary

Open House Festival – RSN Embroidery Studio, Hampton Court Palace – Saturday 16 September – Sunday 17 September

Degree Open Day – Hampton Court Palace – Saturday 23 September

Certificate & Diploma Online Open Day – Monday 25 September

The Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers 400th Anniversary Exhibition – Guildhall Art Gallery, London – Saturday 30 September – Sunday 12 November

The Knitting & Stitching Show London – Alexandra Palace, London – Thursday 5 October – Sunday 8 October

RSN Scotland is thrilled to invite you to a fabulous exhibition celebrating the work of the Certificate & Diploma in Technical Hand Embroidery students who learn at our Scottish satellite at The Glasgow Art Club.

From 20 to 28 July, RSN Scotland will showcase its students Certificate and Diploma work across a variety of hand embroidery techniques. RSN Scotland is proud to promote and extend the art of hand embroidery, which has long been key to Scottish culture and trade, and welcomes students from all over Scotland.

RSN Scotland teaches Day Classes, from introductory classes for those new to hand embroidery right through to advanced classes. Many students who have joined us on Day Classes have then progressed on to the RSN Certificate where they learn the art of hand of hand embroidery through Jacobean Crewelwork, Canvaswork or Blackwork, Silk Shading and Goldwork to the highest technical standard.

The RSN Certificate & Diploma is the most flexible course to suit everyone’s stage in life, whether it’s for your career, something you have always wanted to do but never had the time, or simply to learn a new skill. RSN Scotland teaches the course throughout the year, including the Summer Intensive Programme, in small, friendly groups.

The exhibition is open to the public from 1pm to 5pm on 20 July and from 11am to 5pm thereafter until 28 July (the exhibition is closed on Sunday 23 July). Entry to the exhibition is free and you can access it by ringing the doorbell at The Glasgow Art Club.

For those wanting to know more about the RSN Certificate & Diploma, please come along to our Open Day on Friday 21 July between 11am to 1pm. To register for the Open Day, click here.

The Glasgow Art Club is located at 185 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4HU.

Images:

Advanced Silk Shading by RSN Scotland Diploma Student Anne Rowan
Canvaswork by RSN Scotland Diploma Student Elizabeth Barnett
Appliqué by RSN Scotland Diploma Student Lois Martin

 

Our Certificate & Diploma (C&D) and Future Tutor Graduate Exhibition 2023 will take place at Hampton Court Palace, on 4 to 9 July from 11am-4pm.  The Graduates’ beautiful work will be displayed in Apartment 12, an apartment not usually open to visitors.

You will view work completed over the last three years by Future Tutor Graduate Abigail Carter, as well as C&D Graduates from Hampton Court Palace and across our various satellites in Bristol, Rugby, Durham and Glasgow, and those who have been learning Online. The Exhibition will provide an excellent opportunity to view the wonderful Graduate work.

The exhibition will be free of charge. Access is through the East Front Gate. Please inform the Palace Hosts that you are visiting the C&D Exhibition.

If you are interested in joining our C&D course, we will be hosting an Online Open Day on the 25 July. Book here.

C&D Exhibition at RSN Scotland

There will be an exhibition of work by RSN Certificate & Diploma students based at our Glasgow venue, The Glasgow Art Club on 20 – 28 July. From 1pm on 20 July the exhibition will be open to the public. Thereafter it will be open each day from 11am to 5pm but closed on Sunday. A wide variety of embroidery techniques will be on display and there will be opportunities to talk to current students about their work.

The exhibition will be free of charge. It will be open to anyone who wishes to attend within the hours given.

On Friday 21 July between 11am to 1pm there will also be an Open Day for anyone interested in attending embroidery classes offered by the RSN in Glasgow. To register for the Open Day, click here.

Are you interested in taking a class or course in hand embroidery? For more information about the courses we offer, click here.

Images:

⁠Goldwork Insects by Hampton Court Palace Diploma Graduate Jane Peel ⁠
Canvaswork House by Online Certificate Graduate Elizabeth Braun ⁠
Canvaswork Feathers by Online Certificate Graduate Rebecca Warrington ⁠
Appliqué Warrior Skiier by Hampton Court Palace Diploma Graduate Karin Glass ⁠

We are delighted to be teaching at Northern Ireland’s royal residence, Hillsborough Castle and Gardens for the first time.  As part of the Linen Biennale 2023, the RSN will be teaching two hand embroidery classes, inspired by royal historic outfits, on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 August.

You can choose to learn Goldwork – the traditional technique used in Coronation Robes – and embroider a design inspired by the 1937 Coronation Robe of Estate worn by Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, consort of King George VI.   Alternatively, you can stitch a beautiful foliage design of leaves and berries, inspired by a Georgian waistcoat from the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection at Historic Royal Palaces.

Not only will students be able to immerse themselves in embroidery for the day and learn these wonderful traditional techniques, but they will also enjoy free entry to the glorious gardens at Hillsborough and the recently opened Life Through a Royal Lens exhibition – a unique collection of Royal photography spanning the last 200 years.

Each class costs £160 and runs from 10am – 4pm.  Entry to the gardens and photography exhibition at Hillsborough Castle are included in the class cost.   To book your place on the RSN Class, please visit our website.

The Royal School of Needlework has embroidered several pieces for the Royal Family including for the Coronation of King Charles III and the wedding dress of Kate Middleton, now HRH The Princess of Wales.

Join the RSN at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens

Hillsborough Castle is the official residence in Northern Ireland of the British monarch and other members of the British royal family when they visit the region.  It is located in the village of Royal Hillsborough in the north-west of County Down.  www.hrp.org.uk

The Linen Biennale Northern Ireland is an initiative of R-Space Gallery, Lisburn. It presents a full programme of events, initiatives, and community outreach running from August – October that celebrate the heritage, and future of linen and flax on this Island. The 2023 Biennale is supported through The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Full program and further information: www.linenbiennalenorthernireland.com

 

The RSN is known for many things, one of which being the iconic ‘Wall of Wool’. The Studio Embroiderers use this huge wool selection for colour reference to find the perfect shade match when working on conservation commissions. The vast collection is housed in a large wooden ‘pigeon-hole’ grid covering an entire wall and sets a beautiful, eye-catching backdrop for the Studio team.

Over the years we have welcomed many famous faces and they all want their photo taken against this impressive backdrop to prove that they have visited the RSN Embroidery Studio at Hampton Court Palace!

New RSN Inspired Products

RSN ‘Wall of Wool’ Jigsaw Puzzle

Treat yourself to this fun Jigsaw puzzle, displaying the iconic ‘Wall of Wool’! The RSN ‘Wall of Wool’ square-box 1000-piece Jigsaw puzzle makes the perfect gift for those looking for a challenge, with this colourful one-of-a-kind image.

RSN ‘Wall of Wool’ Notebook

Coming soon to the RSN Shop is this beautiful and luxurious ‘Wall of Wool’ notebook. Combining high-quality production with a vibrant image, the crafted cover is printed on foil, embossed and then foil stamped, with plain paper inside.

RSN Collection 2024 Wall Calendar

Available in the RSN Shop is this stunning calendar for 2024, showcasing some of the treasures from the unique RSN Collection. Informative text accompanies each image and the date pad features previous and next month’s views.

*Shop all RSN gifts*

Our timetable is bursting full this month, with wonderful classes from our International Summer School, Partnership Classes, Graduate Exhibitions and much more!

 

Exhibitions:

The Royal School of Needlework & Five Coronations 1902 – 2023 – Hampton Court Palace – Wednesday 26 July – Thursday 16 November

C&D and Future Tutor Graduates 2023 Exhibition – Hampton Court Palace – 4 to 9 July – 11am to 4pm.

RSN Scotland C&D Exhibition – The Glasgow Art Club – 20 – 28 July – 11am-5pm.

 

Online International Summer School Classes:

Forget Me Knot Card – Friday 21 – Saturday 22 July

Heath and Harebells – Monday 17 – Friday 21 July

Metalwork & Beadwork: ‘Peace and Plenty’ – Wednesday 19 – Friday 21 July

Butterfly Garden – Wednesday 26 – Friday 28 July

Ecclesiastical Embroidery: ‘Design and Stitch a Stole’ – Monday 17 July — Tuesday 1 August

Bunny in a Magic Forest -Tuesday 25 – Thursday 27 July

*Please note: If you are living overseas and wish to book any of our Online International Summer School Classes, please contact [email protected] first to ensure your kit will arrive in time for the class.*

 

The Glasgow Art Club Onsite International Summer School Classes:

Art Noveau Sprig – Monday 24 – Wednesday 26 July

Jacobean Crewelwork ‘Flower and Bee’ – Thursday 27 – Friday 28 July

 

Hampton Court Palace Onsite International Summer School Classes:

Exploring Drawing & Sources of Creative Inspiration  – Sunday 30 July – Friday 4 August

Coronation Pincushion – Monday 31 July – Friday 4 August

A Blackwork Bookshelf of Stories – Monday 14 – Thursday 17 August

Colour in Flight: Combining Paint & Stitch – Wednesday 16 – Saturday 19 August

Whitework Seahorse –  Monday 21 – Thursday 24 August

Embroidered & Embellished Victorian Patchwork  – Monday 21 – Friday 15 August

Goldwork Monogram – Tuesday 22 — Friday 25 August

 

Day Classes:

Blackwork Box – Hampton Court Palace – Monday 3  – Wednesday 5 July

Experimental Beading – Hampton Court Palace – Sunday 9 July

Crewelwork ‘Myrtle Blossom’ – Hampton Court Palace – Tuesday 11 – Thursday 13 July

Introduction to Hardanger: ‘A Sampler of Stitches’ – Hampton Court Palace – Friday 14 – Sunday

16 July

 

Partnership Classes:

Coronation Gold Shamrock and Acorn inspired by The Queen Mother’s Coronation Robe – D-Day Story Museum, Portsmouth – Saturday 15 July

 

Online Talks:

A History of Coronation Dress: Caroline de Guitaut in conversation with Dr Susan Kay-Williams – Thursday 27 July

 

Open Days:

RSN Scotland C&D Open Day – The Glasgow Art Club – Friday 21 July

Certificate & Diploma Online Open Day – Tuesday 25 July

 

Future Dates For Your Diary:

Open House London – RSN Embroidery Studio, Hampton Court Palace – Saturday 16 – Sunday 17 September

The Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers 400th anniversary exhibition – Guildhall Art Gallery, London – Saturday 30 September – Sunday 12 November

Degree Open Day – Saturday 23 September

 

We have launched a new Self-Paced Video Online Course, ‘Introduction to Box Making.’ 

Join RSN Tutor Heather Lewis as she takes you step by step to learn how to make a pretty fabric covered box to store your threads.  In this course, you will work through a simple design to introduce you to the techniques used for box making.  It’s a perfect way to showcase your embroidery skills and you will create a beautiful box that you can be proud of.

Students will learn about the materials and techniques required to make a fabric covered box by hand, and add a decorative detail to the lid.  You will learn some of the history of box-making and uses for boxes, and a variety of box-making techniques, including – covering the card with fabric; assembling the box and stitching the pieces together; and adding a false floor for extra storage. You will also learn some traditional embroidery stitches to decorate the lid.

PREVIEW THE COURSE

The RSN Self-Paced Video Online Courses are available via rsnonlinecourses.com and through exclusive videos and step by step instructions, you can create your own range of designs, learning different techniques. Guided by our expert Tutors in a dedicated online classroom, you will create beautiful embroidery using an exclusive kit of materials that will be posted direct to your door. Learn at your own pace, create an exclusive design created by your RSN Tutor and discover tips and techniques to help you achieve a professional finish to all your projects.

To find out more about the range of  RSN Self-Paced Video Online courses, and to view all our introduction and next steps courses, visit RSN Video Online Embroidery Classes

Enrol now and learn the art of Box Making

If you are looking for more box making inspiration, you can also purchase RSN Tutor Heather Lewis’ RSN Embroidered Boxes book.   View here.

The RSN Embroidery Studio is at last able to fully showcase the diverse range of commissions it can undertake.

The RSN Embroidery Studio is unique, as it offers Conservation, Restoration and Bespoke commissions for a wide range of customers. The new website and logo has been designed to reflect our diversity as well as introducing our talented core team who have vast experience between them.

The logo of two swans was originally designed by Selwyn Image for the first ever RSN Handbook of Embroidery, published by the school in 1880. Selwyn Image was part of the Arts and Crafts Movement and a strong supporter of the RSN, who would design for us and provide lectures and teaching sessions.

Swans are regal birds that frequent the grounds of Hampton Court Palace where the Embroidery Studio is based and have Royal protection, another lovely link back to the RSN and our Royal connection.

We do hope you like looking at our new website where you will find some lovely additions to explain the before and after of a process, along with some more recent case studies and of course, our involvement in the Coronation of King Charles III and our Patron Queen Camilla.

Explore the new website here

See behind the scenes of the RSN Embroidery Studio in our new YouTube video

The past few months have been an extremely busy time in our Studio, as our expert team embarked upon embroidering nine special projects for King Charles III’s Coronation.  In addition to these historic items, we were very fortunate to work on a variety of heirloom commissions including the restoration of a treasured hand embroidered canvas hanging.

We were first approached by our customer who had inherited the very special piece which was worked by his late mother in the early 1970s.  Measuring 48” wide by 42” high, this beautiful canvas hanging, depicting a mediaeval miracle play, was embroidered by Mrs Barbara Want over five years.

Barbara grew up in Hampton and moved to Sunbury-on-Thames in 1953 where she stayed until her death in 2022. She was a very keen embroiderer all her life and was an enthusiastic member of the Hampton School of Needlework for many years. Almost every wall in her house was adorned with examples of her work of which this embroidery was the pinnacle. It occupied pride of place hanging in the living room for nearly 50 years!

As is typical of woven and canvas hangings, after some time they require a little TLC and a freshen up.

The Studio team began the commission by deconstructing the hanging, firstly removing the wooden rings used as a hanging mechanism. Whilst removing the backing fabric we rather excitedly discovered a wonderful hand written note from Barbara detailing how long it had taken her to work the piece. After a gentle surface clean with our conservation vacuum, and on success of a wet test, we were able to delicately wet clean the canvas in part and restretch it.

Some minor repairs were undertaken to some broken wool threads and we stabilised the whole canvas before making it back up into a hanging. Two concealed slots replaced the wooden rings and a new fringe trim was added to the bottom edge of the hanging. Finally, we added one of our very special 150^th anniversary labels, which sat underneath Barbara’s as a continuation of the story of this precious keepsake before relining the back with a new linen fabric.

We were thrilled to invite Barbara’s son back into the RSN Studio to collect the hanging and we are so happy to see it back on display in his home where it will be admired for many more years to come. In addition to embroidering pictures, Barbara was also one of the embroiderers who created the Sunbury Millennium Embroidery which is on display at the embroidery gallery in Lower Sunbury.

It is always such a pleasure to work on pieces which hold such a sentimental attachment and we look forward to seeing what other exciting projects will come our way over the coming weeks and months.

New RSN Embroidery Studio Website

Get an inside glimpse into the RSN Embroidery Studio

The highly anticipated RSN International Summer School will be kicking off in just a few short weeks! People from all over the world will be joining us Onsite at Hampton Court Palace, London, and The Glasgow Art Club, Scotland, to take a class (or multiple classes!) taught by our expert RSN Tutors.

If you would like to sign up to one of our International Summer School classes, we still have some spaces for Onsite classes available at Hampton Court Palace and The Glasgow Art Club.

Upon signing up, you will receive a lovely welcome gift, as well as having access to a range of exclusive Online Talks.

For those joining a 4 – 6 day long course Hampton Court Palace, you will also have the opportunity to visit Buckingham Palace to view the Coronation Display.

We can’t wait to see you!

Browse our list of 2023 International Summer School classes here

In June, it was the 100 year anniversary of Princess Helena’s death, the first President of the RSN. We would like to honour her by sharing a little bit about her life, and her important contribution to the RSN.

Born in May 1846, Princess Helena, was the third daughter and fifth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

Princess Helena was one of the most active members of the royal family, being the patron of many charities and carrying out a huge number of royal engagements, with specific interests in hand embroidery and nursing.

She married Christian of Schleswig Holstein in 1866 after which she was formally  Princess Christian of Schleswig Holstein, but always known to the RSN as Princess Helena.

Princess Helena had been discussing the idea of the RSN, then called the School of Art Needlework, with Lady Victoria Welby and Lady Marion Alford, before Lady Welby got it started.  Princess Helena then came on board immediately, as the first President.

Lady Victoria went off to do other things after a few years, and Lady Marion died shortly after the publication of her magnum opus, Needlework as Art, but Princess Helena stayed at the helm for 51 years and truly laid down the spirit of the RSN. It was she who said the RSN would make her mother Queen Victoria’s funeral pall, even when all commercial companies had turned it down, and it was she who persuaded her brother to allow the RSN to embroider the insignia on his coronation mantle.

In commemoration of Princess Helena, the RSN commissioned a marble plaque, the size of a grave stone. So precious was this that, though originally mounted on the wall at the 1903 building, it was taken down and has been taken with us every time we have moved. It was last out for exhibition in 2012.

If you would like to hear more about the remarkable life of Princess Helena and her work at the RSN, an exclusive Online Talk, given by Chief Executive Dr Susan Kay-Williams, will be available on demand to those taking a class at our International Summer School.