With so many wonderful classes to choose from for our International Summer School, we want to help you pick the class (or classes!) that are right for you and your ability level, to ensure you have the best time!

 

For Beginners

For complete embroidery beginners, if you are a little ‘rusty’, or if you would just simply prefer to start at the beginning again (which is a very good place to start!) then you might choose a class aimed at Beginners. Our Beginner classes are suitable for those who have little to no experience of embroidery and will be taught all the fundamental stitches required to get started.

You can also look at classes marked as ‘Mixed Ability’, which are suitable for all levels. Our Tutors are well versed in adjusting their teaching to ensure everyone receives the right level of tuition to match their experience, so you progress confidently with the design.

See our Beginner and Mixed Ability classes

 

Intermediate Classes

If you have already attended a Beginners/Mixed Ability class, you may feel ready to stretch yourself a little further and take an Intermediate class. These classes are perfect for those who already have some experience with embroidery and are looking to expand their skills further and take the next step.

If you are unsure, check the class description on the booking page to see if a Tutor specifies the level of experience needed.

See our Intermediate classes

 

Advanced Classes

Advanced classes are the perfect choice for stitchers who wish to build on skills already learnt. We recommend that to take one of our Advanced classes, you should be confident with all basic embroidery stitches, and experience in the specific technique of the class is advantageous.

See our Advanced classes

 

What is Included?

Onsite Classes at Hampton Court Palace Include: Class kit, exclusive talks, themed palace tours, lunch each day, discount for local accommodation, a welcome gift and a certificate of attendance.

Online Classes Include: Class kit, exclusive online talks, a welcome gift, a certificate of attendance and access to class recordings.

 

Have a question about our International Summer School?

Get in touch with us and email [email protected].

See all International Summer School classes here

The RSN is home to more than 10,000 unique and priceless Collection and Archive pieces.  In April 2024, we celebrated the launch of the RSN Collection & Archive website, with 100 objects from the RSN Collection.  One year on, and there are now 250 objects listed on the website, from across the world.

The website is part of our mission to make the treasures of the RSN accessible to a wider online audience and we would love for you to join us for this free online event.

On Wednesday 25 June, during the round table discussion, RSN Curator, Dr Isabella Rosner, will be in conversation with a panel of some of those involved in the project and using the website to inform their work, sharing their stories, from the development process through to the website you can enjoy today. These textile and paper objects span centuries and continents, revealing stories of everything from Arts and Crafts movement designers to Queen Mary’s textile collection.

You will have the opportunity to pose questions to the panel and to learn how this wonderful free resource will contribute to your own world of stitch…and, who knows what treasures will be revealed!

The RSN Collections website can be accessed free of charge, anywhere in the world. It features comprehensive catalogue entries, including high-definition images for each object with the option to view stitches up close, maker’s names, dates, places, stitches, motifs, techniques and extensive descriptions.  You can also find out more about the techniques and stitches featured via handy links to RSN Stitch Bank.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who have supported the RSN in opening the doors to our unique Collection and Archive through the RSN Collections website, as well as RSN Stitch Bank, the free online world directory of stitches.  Our aim is to make embroidery accessible for everyone, all around the world, and ensure we pass on our skills to new generations. Without your generous donations, these initiatives would not be possible. Thank you.

Explore the RSN Collection & Archive website

Explore RSN Stitch Bank website

Donate to the RSN Collection & Archive here

Sponsor a stitch on RSN Stitch Bank here

Explore all RSN Online Talks here

For Mental Health Awareness Week, from 12 – 18 May, the RSN is celebrating the therapeutic power of hand embroidery. In a fast-paced, digital world, stitching offers a calming, mindful escape with remarkable effects on the mind.

The simple, repetitive motion of needle and thread helps quiet racing thoughts, reduce anxiety, and encourage focus.

 

Hand Embroidery is..

Read the stories of some of the RSN’s supporters and how embroidery has supported their mental health:

“I am autistic, and the beneficial effects of embroidery are more than I can put into words. The rhythm brings me peace, calms anxiety and drains negativity. It is such a calming activity as well as being beautifully creative. I have stitched in one form or another all my life (I am now 72). I do not exaggerate in saying it has been—and still is—a lifesaver. It is my absolute favourite pursuit.” – Lynn

 

“Embroidery has woven itself into the fabric of my life. It’s a grounding force amidst chaos, a way to express creativity, and a source of both solitary reflection and community connection. Whether it’s a cup of tea in the autumn sun or a few stitches after a busy day, each moment brings me peace. The most satisfying part? Watching my skills blossom over time.” – Sonya

 

“When I was at one of my lowest points, I found an embroidery kit under my bed. I picked it up and started playing around with it. At first it was cross-stitch, but then I moved to embroidery and loved it even more. It gave me something to do with my hands and took my mind off everything. It gave me a creative outlet to express emotions. That’s why I’ll always credit embroidery with saving my life.” – Colby

 

Join the RSN at the Hampton Court Palace ‘Feel Good Festival’, 16 – 18 May

As part of the Hampton Court Palace ‘Feel Good Festival’, the RSN will be running daily 90 min embroidery workshops, where visitors can stitch a Colourful Peacock motif and experience the calming, creative benefits of embroidery. These sessions offer a space to unwind, reconnect, and discover the mental wellbeing that can be found in every stitch.

Book your place here

Relax your mind and step into the serene surroundings of Hampton Court Palace for a day of hand embroidery, or learn online in the tranquility of home. Explore RSN Onsite and Online Day & Evening Classes or join our summer festival at the International Summer School, online and at Hampton Court Palace.

Work featured by:

• RSN Japan Certificate student Li Jue
• RSN Hampton Court Palace Certificate student Angela Anderson
• RSN Online Certificate student Chinami Aso
• RSN Hampton Court Palace Certificate student Susan Ghosh

Delve in to all the exciting events, exhibitions, classes and more happening at the RSN in May!

 

Online Day & Evening Classes, Beginners to Advanced, Variety of Techniques, Across Different Time Zones

Designing for Blackwork: Monday 5 May

Hardanger Hearts & Flowers Needlebook: Weekly, from Wednesday 7 May – Wednesday 11 June

Introduction to Goldwork ‘William Morris Inspired’: Weekly, from Wednesday 7 – Wednesday 25 May

Introduction to Goldwork: ‘Summer Leaf’: Weekly, from Thursday 8 – Thursday 22 May

Silk Shaded Mushroom and Stumpwork Butterfly Box: Weekly, from Friday 16 May – Friday 4 July

Goldwork Map Making: Weekly, from Tuesday 20 May – Tuesday 10 June

William Morris Inspired Strawberry Brooch: Weekly, from Thursday 29 May – Thursday 5 June

 

Hampton Court Palace Classes

An Introduction to Schwalm Embroidery – ‘Tulip & Heart’: Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 May

Visible Mending: Sunday 18 May

Introduction to Goldwork – ‘Buzzy The Bee’: Tuesday 20 May

Experimental Goldwork: Saturday 24 May

Koala In the Eucalyptus: Saturday 24 – Monday 26 May – 2 PLACES LEFT

 

RSN Experience Classes

Beaded Blooms Experience Class Inspired by 17th Century Basket: Holburne Museum, Bath, Friday 9 May – 1 PLACE LEFT

Goldwork Fleur de Lys Brooch Experience Class: The Drapers’ Hall, London, Monday 12 May

Events & Exhibitions

Exclusive Online Drawing Event: Tuesday 6 May, to celebrate 5 years since our first Live Online Day Class in May 2020.

‘Feel Good Festival’ Workshop – ‘Colourful Peacock’ in Hand Embroidery: Hampton Court Palace, Friday 16, Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 May *a ticket to the festival must be purchased, or show your Historic Royal Palaces members card*

‘Handstitched Heritage’: RWA Bristol, 16 May – 15 June, an exhibition of RSN Apprentice and Future Tutor Alumni work.

 

Live Online Talks

The Exciting World of Early Medieval Textiles and Embroidery in Britain: With Textile Historian and RSN Tutor, Dr Alexandra Makin, Wednesday 7 May, 7:00pm GMT

Women and Modern/Contemporary Textile Art: With Art Historian, Ferren Gipson, Wednesday 21 May, 7:00pm GMT

 

Dates for your diary

Certificate & Diploma Online Info Session: Monday 16 June, 9:00am GMT

New Designers: Graduate Art & Design Showcase, Business Design Centre, London, 2 – 5 July, stand T46

RSN Scotland Stitch Social: The Glasgow Art Club, Scotland, 19 July 10am-4pm

 

This summer, we will celebrate the heritage of the RSN and its unique historic collection with a carefully curated online Summer Series of classes in July and a dedicated onsite Summer School at Hampton Court Palace in August.

Delving into the school’s Collection and Archive, our expert Tutors have created a series of classes that engage with different techniques and collection pieces. Some of the Collection and Archive inspired classes will also offer an opportunity to see the objects in person and to learn more about them from our curators.

We will also celebrate the central role of the RSN Embroidery Studio through a series of kits designed by the RSN Embroidery Studio, each linked to a significant moment in the RSN’s history. Both Onsite and Online students will have the opportunity to step ‘through the Studio door’, either virtually or in person.

All classes will connect to the rich heritage of the RSN, so whether you are immersing yourself in art or creating your own masterpiece with previously loved materials, there will be a story to tell.

For the first time, we are offering ‘Collection and Archive Study Days’, led by RSN Curators Dr. Isabella Rosner and Vicky Bevan. This two-day course will provide a unique opportunity to engage with the treasures of the RSN, explore embroidery history through field trips and guest speakers, and learn about textiles both past and present.

For those learning at Hampton Court Palace, there will be talks and special visits, and there will be a series of talks to complement the Online classes.

Our Chief Executive, Rhian Harris, will welcome Onsite attendees, and give a series of Zoom sessions to Online participants. Rhian will share insights from her first year at the helm of the RSN and offer a glimpse into her vision for the future. Whether Online or Onsite, there will be ample opportunity for questions.

In the coming months, we will introduce each of the Tutors and their classes, provide regular updates, and share an itinerary so you have all the information you need.

Thinking of booking more than one class, or coming with a friend? Receive an £80 discount when booking two classes, and £160 off when booking three or more!

We look forward to seeing you for an unforgettable summer of stitch!

Browse Online International Summer School Classes

Browse Hampton Court Palace International Summer School Classes

Taking place at the Royal West of England Academy (RWA) in Bristol, Handstitched Heritage will showcase the work of RSN Apprentice and Future Tutor alumni.

Linked by their extensive training, more than 30 artists will exhibit pieces that highlight the incredible range and depth of traditional hand embroidery techniques.

All the independent exhibitors work in education, teaching these heritage skills at the highest level to ensure they are passed on to the next generation while also maintaining their own artistic practices. This is the first time they have come together to exhibit their work collectively, making this a truly exciting event. Exhibitors will be available to answer questions and provide further insight into the work on display.

The exhibition will run alongside ‘Soft Power: lives told through textile art’, an international contemporary textile art exhibition curated by Professor Alice Kettle and Professor Lesley Millar MBE.

The RWA, located in the heart of Bristol, offers a diverse programme of exhibitions, events, workshops, talks, and lectures. Committed to making great art accessible to all, they aim to promote the understanding and enjoyment of art to the widest possible audience.

Handstitched Heritage will run from Wednesday 16 May – Friday 13 June, at RWA in Bristol, and is free to enter. Tickets to ‘Soft Power: lives told through textile art’ can be purchased for £8.50.  The RSN is proud to be cosponsor of this wonderful exhibition.

For more Information about the exhibition, follow Handstitched Heritage on Instagram and  here

Meet our RSN Tutor’s here

 

Work by RSN Tutors Deborah Wilding, Sarah Smith and Zinaida Kazban

During Mental Health Awareness Week, 12-18 May, we celebrate hand embroidery and how it brings people together from across the world, to form a wonderful and colourful community through the language of stitch.

Hand embroidery allows your mind to rest and can significantly benefit mental health by providing a calming and focused activity, often described as ‘feel good’ due to its repetitive motions, tactile nature, and ability to promote mindfulness, which can help reduce stress, anxiety, and negative thoughts while fostering a sense of accomplishment and creative expression.

 

Embroidery Is…

Embroidery is more than a hobby; it’s a powerful tool for mental health and well-being. Many have found comfort in stitching, using the rhythmic motions and creative expression to reduce stress and promote mindfulness.

To highlight the importance of embroidery, we want to hear YOUR story! How has embroidery helped you on your mental health journey? Whether it’s a form of relaxation, a way to express emotions, or simply a moment of peace, we’d love for you to share how the art of hand embroidery has supported your well-being.

Send us your stories to [email protected] and help to inspire others to find solace and strength through the art of embroidery for Mental Health Awareness Week.

 

Feel Good Festival

The RSN is thrilled to be part of the ‘Feel Good Festival’, which will take place at Hampton Court Palace from 16 to 18 May 2025, the perfect day out to have fun and unwind!

Join us for a 90-minute workshop to escape the busy world outside, in the serene surroundings of the RSN’s Collection & Archive Room in Hampton Court Palace, normally closed to the visiting public.  The RSN Collection contains many beautiful birds stitched in every technique imaginable.

Our ‘Colourful Peacock’ is an introduction to embroidery, for you to create your own beautifully embroidered bird.  Using crewel wool, you will learn a range of core embroidery stitches such as back stitch and chain stitch, as well as some easy embellishment stitches, including French knots and fly stitch.

Colourful embroidery wouldn’t be complete without a little bit of sparkle so added sequins, to create the tail feathers, will complete this simple and charming design of the most elegant of birds.

The 90-minute workshop will take place from 11.30am-1pm every day of the festival. The kit is included in the workshop cost and places are limited so you need to book your place fast!

Friday workshop

Saturday workshop

Sunday workshop

Please note that, to attend the RSN workshop, you must buy an entry ticket to the Feel Good Festival. or show your Historic Royal Palaces membership card.

See you there!

 

Work by: RSN Future Tutor Student Zinaida Kazban, RSN Hampton Court Palace Diploma student Gail Beer, RSN Durham Diploma student Luiza Oliver

Are you thinking of joining our Certificate & Diploma Course? The RSN Certificate & Diploma in Technical Hand Embroidery Course is an excellent and flexible way to elevate your hand embroidery skills and can be learnt from wherever you are in the world.

Meet Elin Gray, who shares with us her story of learning at RSN Bristol:

“I first took up embroidery as a hobby when I was a teenager, free-handing my own designs and making patches. Discovering the RSN presented me with the opportunity to excel beyond what I could teach myself, and the possibility of pursuing embroidery as a career.

 In 2019, I started the C&D at RSN Bristol and found a brilliant Tutor in Deborah Wilding, as well as a community of people just as enthusiastic about embroidery as I am. It’s a wonderful environment to learn in; everyone is incredibly encouraging and there is so much inspiration to be found in other students’ work and ideas.

Each module offers something different, which makes it hard to pick a favourite, but I did particularly enjoy Goldwork as the materials and end effect are unlike any other type of embroidery. I also really enjoyed Appliqué, and it was in this technique that I created my favourite finished piece, based on a work by Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

My experience at the RSN has been invaluable, not only for the skill and confidence I would never have gained otherwise, but for the people I’ve met. I completed my Diploma last year with a Distinction and have hopes of exploring the Advanced Diploma in the future. Meanwhile, I’ve been volunteering with the schools’ archive digitisation project and sharing my work on Instagram – @grayembroidery.”

 

Thinking about starting the Certificate & Diploma course?

Join our next Online Information Session on Wednesday 30 April  here

See our Certificate & Diploma 2025 Summer Intensives Dates at Hampton Court Palace, Durham, Glasgow and Australia here

Join the RSN this month for Day & Evening Classes, Experience Classes, Info sessions and more!

 

Online Day & Evening Classes

Learn to Draw for Embroiderers 2: Get Confident with Using Colour: Wednesday 2 April

Introduction to Broderie Anglaise and Richelieu; ‘Starfish’: Weekly, from Monday 7 April – Monday 19 June

Introduction to Box Making: ‘Nigella Initial Box’: Weekly, from Wednesday 9 April – Wednesday 30 April

Designing for Jacobean Crewelwork: Tuesday 22 April

Learn to Draw for Embroiderers 3: How To Create Your Own Beautiful Designs: Wednesday 23 April

RSN Embroidery Studio Kits: ‘Jacobean Crewelwork Inspired by the RSN Design Room’: Wednesday 23 April

Intermediate Stumpwork: ‘Green Fire Bird’: Weekly, from Thursday 24 April – Thursday 8 May

Introduction to Embroidery: ‘The Beginning’: Weekly, from Wednesday 30 April – Wednesday 7 May

 

Onsite Classes at Hampton Court Palace

Blackwork Medieval Floor Tiles: Saturday 5 April

Introduction to Embroidery: ‘Stylised Flower Sampler’: Saturday 5 & Sunday 6 April

Silk Shaded Daisy Inspired by The D-Day Story: Saturday 26 April

Experimental Embroidery: Saturday 26 April

 

RSN Experience Classes

‘Teatime’ inspired by the Collection at Arundells, Salisbury: RSN Experience Class, Saturday 5 April

 

Events & Exhibitions

‘Tales of Textiles: The RSN Collection in Focus’: Hampton Court Palace, on set days until June. Prebooking essential, last few spaces available. Closing Soon.

 

Online Certificate & Diploma Info Session to learn more about the Course

Wednesday 30 April 2025, 2:00pm (UK Time)

 

This month, RSN Stitch Bank reaches a huge milestone: the launch of its 500th stitch! To celebrate this invaluable free resource, used by stitchers across the globe for inspiration, education, and preservation, we’re adding 25 new stitches on Friday 21 March, each named after places around the world.

These new additions are stitches with geographical connections such as Surrey stitch, created by a member of a Surrey branch of the Women’s Institute, while others reflect the cultural heritage of traditional embroidery styles, like Hungarian braided chain stitch. Some carry an air of mystery, with origins less certain but names steeped in history, like the timeless old Florentine stitch. No matter their origin, each stitch tells a unique story, adding to the rich tapestry of global embroidery traditions.

Mark your calendars to explore the new additions and celebrate this remarkable achievement with us! In the meantime, you can browse the existing 475 stitches here.

 

Join in the celebration

To mark the occasion, we have created two lovely free templates for you to stitch. Email a picture of your finished work by Monday 17 March to [email protected] to have your work featured on our Instagram and Facebook pages!

Download our star template

Download our flower template

 

Support RSN Stitch Bank

RSN Stitch Bank is a free resource, that relies on the generous donations of its user to keep it growing and help preserve stitches for future generations to come.

RSN Stitch Bank has been made possible thanks to a number of charitable trusts and many individual donors who have ‘Adopted a Stitch’ for themselves, a friend, group, or loved one. If you would like to support the project and ‘Adopt a Stitch’, find out more here.

Visit RSN Stitch Bank here

Donate to RSN Stitch Bank here

This month, as the days become longer in the northern hemisphere with more natural light to embroider, the RSN starts to venture out to events, sharing our students’ stunning work with the world.

Fashion & Embroidery, NEC Birmingham

We begin our journey at the ‘Fashion & Embroidery’ exhibition at the NEC Birmingham from 13 to 16 March.  The hand embroidery on display will be full of pops of red alongside the world-famous Red Dress, conceived by British artist Kirstie Macleod.  We will also run a 90mins ‘International Stitches to Inspire’ workshop every day, inspired by a 20^th century suzani from the RSN Collection and the amazing Red Dress. For a 30% discount code, read the full story here.

 

The Stitch Festival, Business Design Centre

On return from the NEC, the RSN will teach a ‘Colourful Peacock’ 90mins workshop every day at ‘The Stitch Festival’, Business Design Centre, London, 20 to 23 March. The Stitch Festival is the best event in London for contemporary dressmaking, sewing and stitch, where you can meet independent brands and small businesses, alongside catwalk shows and demos. The RSN has received a discount code from the show organisers. Enter code ‘RSN25’ at checkout for a £2 discount. We will also be running a competition to win a pair of tickets through Instagram, so make sure to follow us to enter!

 

Save the Dates

And that’s not all…over the next couple of months, there are more event dates to save in your diary, where you’ll be able to view wonderful work by RSN students and Tutors, or join us for a workshop:

 

‘Feel Good Festival’, 16 to 18 May, Hampton Court Palace.  Every day of the event, we will teach a 90mins ‘taster’ workshop of the ‘Colourful Peacock’, during Mental Health Awareness Week, introducing the art of hand embroidery to a new community.

To book an RSN workshop during the Feel Good Festival, choose the day you wish to attend below:

• Friday 16 May
• Saturday 17 May
• Sunday 18 May

 

‘Hand Stitched Heritage’, 16 May to 13 June, Royal West of England Academy (RWA), Bristol.  This exhibition will showcase the work of RSN Apprentice and Future Tutor Alumni, and will run alongside ‘Soft Power lives through Textile Art’ curated by Textile Artist Prof. Alice Kettle, and Prof. Lesley Millar MBE.

From RSN Apprentice to Tutor, learn more about the wonderful, diverse career journey of RSN Tutor and Fellow, Emma Broughton:

“Hi, I’m Emma Broughton, an embroidery artist, RSN Fellow, and Tutor. My passion for embroidery began during a summer lesson at secondary school with RSN Tutor Shelly Cox. That one lesson sparked a love for the craft, leading me to apply for the RSN Apprenticeship program, where I was lucky enough to train and work on incredible projects.

During my Apprenticeship, I worked on a garment for London Fashion Week with Hussain Chalayan, helped the RSN Embroidery Studio team to recreate a watercolour by Basil Alkazzi (his signed print still hangs in my studio), and even designed a tapestry kit for the then-Mayor of London’s wife to stitch the Mayoral Crest into a cushion. I later expanded my knowledge with a Textiles degree at UCA Farnham, which re-shaped my approach to embroidery by using self-designed fabrics—something I first introduced in my Mushroom Box class and plan to develop further with hand dyed fabrics.

One of my proudest achievements was writing and photographing all the boxes for my book, Embroidered Boxes, published by Crowood Press in 2019. Becoming an RSN Tutor, and last year an RSN Fellow, has allowed me to share my love of embroidery not just as a craft but as a form of storytelling. My goal as a Tutor is to make embroidery accessible, inclusive, and filled with creative possibilities. My class designs are mostly drawn from natural forms or from architectural elements near my studio on the outskirts of Salisbury, Wiltshire.

More recently, I was honoured to receive a Developing Your Creative Practice grant from Arts Council England, with the invaluable support of RSN’s previous Chief Executive, Dr. Susan Kay-Williams. This grant gave me the space to rediscover myself as an artist after navigating the loneliness of early motherhood all while dealing with losing my mother within a very short time. It was in this space that my Blackwork portrait project truly took shape; a way to reclaim my artistic voice and tell stories that resonate deeply with me. I realise that my work, starting in my Apprenticeship days, has always taken on a personal form of storytelling in one way or another.

This project was also a second chance to create a portrait that truly reflects who I am today, replacing my Apprenticeship piece. ‘May Day’, is the first in this new series, inspired by a powerful scene from The Handmaid’s Tale, reflecting resilience, advocacy, and the fight for women’s rights. Drawing from Margaret Atwood’s original novel, I’ve woven subtle details into the piece—including a twist on the phrase “Blessed be the fruit”. The stark contrast of black and white with pops of colour is a deliberate choice to challenge portraiture conventions and provoke thought.

I’m thrilled that May Day will be on display at the exhibition ‘Hand Stitched Heritage, at RWA Bristol from 17 May to 13 June 2025.”

Explore the list of Emma’s upcoming Day Classes here

Find out how to become an RSN Tutor