News Archives

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.

To celebrate all the wonderful work of our 2023 Degree Graduates over the last three years, we would like to share with you a little more about them, as well as a look at their stunning Final Major Projects, which have recently been on display at our Hampton Court Palace Graduate Degree Show and is on display at New Designers in London until tomorrow.

Alivia Lloyd

Alivia is inspired by the natural world, primarily floras due to their delicacy and beauty. Her working practice consists of layering three dimensional elements in order to form texture and tactile intricate areas.

Follow Alivia on Instagram

Anfaal Hussain

Anfaal finds endless inspiration for his embroidery practice within the world of myth, metaphor and symbolism. These inspirations combined with a strong passion for poetry has helped to develop his signature style of embroidery and design.

Follow Anfaal on Instagram

Ellie Payne

Ellie’s hand embroidery is a playfully curated collection of objects, thoughts and responses. She works with selected palettes of materials and techniques before she moves on to another technique, material or colour. This creates within her work an accurate representation of how her brain works whilst she is embroidering.

Follow Ellie on Instagram

Fiza Shahid

Fiza is particularly interested in depicting her work in a way that is not only a source of comfort and healing for her, but for her audience as well. Her artist voice is influenced by her set beliefs on the fundamental teachings of Islam that create a sense of unity and universal strength.

Follow Fiza on Instagram

Freya Stanford

With the belief that embroidery is transforming, Freya is excited to express her creativity and step into the embroidery sector pursuing both her interest in costume as well as art pieces that investigate the natural world. Freya has begun to explore this narrative through expressive and textural embroidery.

Follow Freya on Instagram

Imogen Marmont

Imogen is a designer based in London. She works with an innovative range of mixed media, driven by the texture and pattern, which she replicates into hand embroidery.

Follow Imogen on Instagram

Jessica Wilkinson

Jessica is a hand embroiderer originally from the Lake District. Her practice strives to bring traditional techniques into the twenty first century, and she values keeping old crafts alive and educating new audiences.

Follow Jessica on Instagram

Leah Dunham

Led by her own innate romantic and whimsical style, Leah is an embroiderer who translates the beauty of flora and fauna into intricate stitch and embellishment. She seeks to create lasting pieces that maintain value throughout time, regarded as collectible, wearable art or bespoke future heirlooms.

Follow Leah on Instagram

Rebecca Ash

Rebecca strives to push the boundaries of embroidery by utilising more modern fabrics and threads. She is always looking for new ways of using traditional techniques and materials, and her aim is to create high quality embroidery with a strong narrative.

Follow Rebecca on Instagram

Are you interested in joining our BA (Hons) Hand Embroidery Degree Course? Join us on our next open day in September to find out more.

C&D Graduates

We would like to congratulate all our Certificate & Diploma students who will be graduating with us this summer. An exhibition showcasing our Graduates’ work will run from 4 to 9 July at Hampton Court Palace. Opening hours will be 11am to 4pm.

Anyone wishing to visit the Exhibition must tell security that they are visiting the RSN Shop and Exhibition.

We teach the C&D course onsite in Bristol, Rugby, Durham and Glasgow, internationally in Japan and North America, and at our base at Hampton Court Palace, south west London.

We also teach online, so students can join from anywhere around the world. It is the most flexible course you will find – you can start your RSN Certificate journey at any time during the academic year, choosing when to take your classes.

If you are interested in joining the Certificate & Diploma, attend our Online Open Day on 25 July. Book onto the Open Day here.

Future Tutor Graduates

Congratulations to our Future Tutors Caroline Lee and Abbie Carter who will graduate on 3 July. Caroline is now in Australia and Abbie’s work will be on display at the Future Tutors Graduate Show from 4 to 9 July. Caroline and Abbie’s work will both be displayed in the next Friends’ Newsletter.

We are excited to see the new class designs from Caroline and Abbie and their future career progression.

Images:

Blackwork by C&D Graduate Kirsten Doogue

Canvaswork by C&D Student Joanne Bentley

Jacobean Crewelwork by C&D Graduate Ruth Sumner

Canvaswork by Future Tutor Graduate Abbie Carter

Featured Image: Blackwork Gorilla by Future Tutor Graduate Abbie Carter

June Events

Online C&D Open Day – 6 June

RSN Graduate Degree Show Exhibition, Hampton Court Palace- 8, 9, 13, 14, 16 June

Graduate Fashion Week, The Truman Brewery – 12-15 June

Thamesmead Hot Air Balloon Launch – 17 June (Worked on by Degree students last year)

Degree Open Day, Hampton Court Palace – 17 June

New Designers, Business Design Centre, London – 28 June – 1 July

Online Talks

Textile Collections of Canterbury Cathedral – Wednesday 14 June

Embroidered Flowers – Wednesday 28 June

Future Dates For Your Diary

RSN Scotland C&D Open Day – 21 July

RSN Scotland C&D Exhibition – 20 July – 28 July

C&D Open Day – 25 July

Join us for a Day Class over the summer. Whether you choose Online, at Hampton Court Palace or at one of our partner venues, we have a wide variety of designs to choose from.

Day Classes