We are delighted to welcome our new First Year Degree Students to Hampton Court Palace and see their summer project, ‘Postcard From Home’, embroidered onto caps.

If you are interested in joining the Degree Course for the next academic year, starting September 2023, book your place on our Open Days this month to find out more.

We are running an Open Day at Hampton Court Palace at 2pm on Wednesday 12 October and an Online Open Day at 2pm on Friday 28 October.

Book your place on the Degree Open Days here. 

Our BA (Hons) Hand Embroidery is validated by Kingston University.

Read more about the course here 

We are bringing our 150th celebrations to the US and teaching a special anniversary class in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Join us for this stunning Goldwork design, inspired by our Archive, and create your own piece of history.

In 1953, the RSN curated an exhibition which celebrated the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II which took place at St. James’s Palace, London. As part of this event, a souvenir catalogue was created. The design of the embroidery class has been inspired by this catalogue.

The class runs at Residence Inn in Fredericksburg on Friday 4 November from 10am – 4pm. There are  a limited number of spaces, so please book your place early to avoid disappointment.

Book your place on the Anniversary Celebration Class in Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA.

 

Join us for our new season of Online Talks.

The new autumn season features a host of wonderful speakers and topics. The Talks take place at 7pm (UK Time) Online via Zoom. Whether you are joining us during your morning with a cup of coffee or in the evening with your favourite tipple, take an hour to yourself to discover fascinating facts and stories in the world of embroidery.

This new season includes Talks by Kirstie Macleod, founder of the unique Red Dress that was exhibited at our Anniversary Exhibition; historian and RSN Trustee, Eleri Lynn, who will explore the role that embroidery played within the house of Tudor; acclaimed RSN embroiderer Jenny Adin-Christie and our regular Senior Lecturer Amy Hare who will cover a range of interesting embroidery topics, including stitching for the screen, wellness and sustainability:

Stitching Slowly: Hand Embroidery as Mindfulness, Sustainability and Radical Craft with Amy Hare, Dev Patel and Emilie Mason: Wednesday 12 October 

The Red Dress Embroidery with Kirstie Macleod: Wednesday 26 October

An Evening with Acclaimed RSN Embroiderer, Jenny Adin-Christie: Wednesday 9 November

Stitching for Stage and Screen with Amy Hare: Wednesday 23 November

Power and Meaning of Embroidery at the Court of Elizabeth I with Eleri Lynn: Wednesday 7 December

All Talks take place at 7pm (UK time). View all Talks

If you have missed any of our Talks, you can also watch them On Demand

We have launched a brand new Self-Paced Video Online Course called ‘Festive Christmas Sampler’.

Join RSN Tutor Helen McCook as she leads you through techniques and stitches to complete this joyful, festive design. In this course, you will learn how to read a stitch chart and perform a variety of counted stitches, from Back Stitch to French Knots, through a variety of Cross Stitches to Algerian Eye and Rice Stitch. This stunning course is a modern spin on a traditional band sampler and the perfect Christmas present or decoration.

‘Festive Christmas Sampler’ is the latest course added to the wide range of video online courses we offer, in partnership with David & Charles. There is now a choice of 11 different courses covering a range of techniques and levels. Study online from the comfort of home and learn at your own pace. You can re-watch the videos as often as you like and learn new skills with our expert RSN Tutors, wherever you live in the world.

Watch the new course trailer here.

View all RSN Self-Paced Video Online Courses on our dedicated website. Click here.  

Thank you to everyone who has been involved with, and visited, our Anniversary Exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum. It is open for just 2 more days – Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September.

We can’t believe how time has flown by so quickly! We have loved showcasing our history and celebrating our 150th anniversary at this very special museum.

If you’re able to visit before the doors close, click here to book your tickets.

If you can’t make it to the exhibition, watch our Online On-Demand Talk ‘150 Years of the RSN: Crown to Catwalk’ with RSN Chief Executive, Dr Susan Kay-Williams, to learn more about the show and hear the stories behind some of the fascinating objects on display.⁠ Click here.

Find out more about our Anniversary celebrations here.

Join us this September for our brand new Day Classes, celebratory exhibitions and Open Days.

Day Classes:

• Designing for Embroidery: ‘Jacobean Crewelwork’ – Tues 13 Sept, 3 – 9pm
• Goldwork Fundamentals – Wed 14 Sept, 6 – 8pm
• Ribbonwork Hearts – Sat 17 Sept, 10am – 4pm
• Technical Tuesdays: An Introduction to Crewelwork Stitches (Daytime) – Tues 20 Sept – 29 Nov, 12.30pm – 2.30pm
• Technical Tuesdays: An Introduction to Crewelwork Stitches (Evenings) – Tues 20 Sept-  29 Nov, 7.30pm – 9.30pm
• Experimental Embroidery – Wed 21 Sept – 12 Oct, 7 – 9pm
• Visible Mending for Sustainable Fashion – Sun 25 Sept, 10am – 4pm
•  Stumpwork Poppy Brooch: at D-Day Story in Portsmouth – Fri 30 Sept, 10:30am – 4:30pm

Events & Exhibitions:

 

• A Girl’s Education in Stitch Exhibition
• RSN Graduates of 2022 Exhibition at Sunbury Gallery – 6 Sept – 16 Oct 2022
• C&D Open Day – Online Open Day, via Zoom,  Tues 20 Sept, 1pm
• Degree Open Day – Online Open Day, via Zoom, Fri 30 Sept, 2pm

We hope you can join us!

We are delighted to be opening an exhibition at Sunbury Gallery in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey from 6 September until 16 October. 

Selected work by 2022 RSN Graduates from our BA (Hons) Hand Embroidery and the Future Tutors programme will be on display at this award-winning gallery. 

It will showcase two and three dimensional pieces that explore dynamic and innovative approaches to hand embroidery as well as traditional. 

Sunbury Gallery has a café onsite and overlooks an 18th Century Walled Garden. Opening times are 10:30am – 4pm Tuesday to Sunday (closed all day Monday). 

Entry to the exhibition is free of charge.

For further details on the exhibition, please visit the Sunbury Gallery website. Click here.

RSN Degree Students are proud to have contributed to an ambitious project called Fields of EveryWhen by international artists, musson+retallick. Fields of EveryWhen is a unique artwork in the form of a 25m high hot air balloon, which brings stories of Thamesmead, in south east London, to life through needlework.

Artists Neil Musson and Jono Retallick, who won the Thamesmead Open, an international art competition organised by Peabody, spent two years working with the Thamesmead community, inviting them to share their personal memories and remarkable tales, to capture a contemporary snapshot of the area.

Inspired by the embroidered storytelling of the Bayeux Tapestry, each of the stories has been interpreted by residents, community groups, artists and RSN Degree Students. These designs have been collaged together and digitally enlarged onto 800 metres of balloon fabric to create a spectacular ‘floating gallery’.

Angie Wyman, Degree Course Leader at the Royal School of Needlework said:  “Our Degree Students were really moved by the stories of the Thamesmead local community and it was really interesting to see how they translated them, not only in their designs but also in their chosen embroidery techniques. It was wonderful to bring these unique stories to life with the art of hand embroidery and for the person who shared their story to see how it had been interpreted by the student.”

Neil Musson said:  “It has been a pleasure working with students from the RSN on our Fields of EveryWhen project. We have been really impressed by the way in which the students have interpreted personal stories as embroideries, especially given the sensitive nature of some of the content.”

As well as floating overhead, the balloon can be inflated on its side to create an immersive installation visitors can walk into and view the artworks up close.

The balloon plans to fly over Thamesmead on the following dates:

• Saturday 10 September Birchmere Park, Thamesmead
• Saturday 24 September Crossways Park, Thamesmead
• Sunday 25 September Gallions Reach Park, Thamesmead

All flights take place in the evening from approximately 18:30 – 21:00 with side inflation during the afternoon. All dates and times are subject to change as the balloon inflation depends on suitable weather conditions. Please check www.g-foew.art for updates before planning your visit.

If you are unable to travel to Thamesmead the Fields of EveryWhen website includes an interactive 3D model of the balloon where you can listen to the contributors’ stories and view the artworks in detail.

If you would like to know more about the BA (Hons) Hand Embroidery, please book onto our Online Open Day at 1pm on Tuesday 20 September. Book here.

Gallery shows images of the balloon (Getty); artists musson+retallick and some of the stories stitched by RSN Degree Students.  

 

 

Thank you to everyone who took part in our inaugural RSN Sip & Stitch.

We are delighted to receive your lovely feedback and see the wonderful photos from your events. If any hosts still need to forward their fundraising monies, please donate by Wednesday 7 September to be in with a chance of winning an exclusive RSN anniversary bundle of goodies. The winner will be the host who raised the most money.

All money raised this year will go towards RSN Stitch Bank and as part of RSN Sip & Stitch we added another 25 stitches so there are now 250 stitches! Each stitch entry contains information about its history, use and structure as well as a step-by-step method with photographs, illustrations and video.

We can’t wait to see you all next year for RSN Sip & Stitch 2023!

Click here to donate to RSN Sip & Stitch.

Find out more about the RSN Stitch Bank – explore the 25 new stitches.

Photos show RSN Sip & Stitch events and RSN Anniversary Collection Prize Bundle

 

We have enjoyed celebrating all the RSN has achieved during our 150 year history, however, we are not an organisation to dwell on the past. Instead, we see many exciting opportunities for the future and are bringing together plans to create new programmes to meet the needs that you have requested.

As a charity and non- profit, we must raise funds to initiate these plans. We need to raise £150,000 so that we can make a start on the most urgent initiatives. Will you help us to build the RSN of the future by making a donation today?

You can read about and view all our ideas for the future in this 150 Forward Booklet. Please read it to see the breadth and variety of our ambitions.

Dr Susan Kay-Williams, Chief Executive of the RSN writes,

“We have many exciting plans to take embroidery to new communities, to different age groups, to broaden participation and enable more people to enjoy the professional and therapeutic benefits of stitch. This is the biggest and potentially most far reaching campaign the RSN has ever launched, so may I ask you to join me in supporting the 150 Forward Campaign. With your help, we can create an exciting, relevant and dynamic future for hand embroidery in the 21st century at the RSN.”

Support the RSN’s 150 Forward Campaign. Click here.

If you are a US tax payer, click here to make your donation.

Every gift makes a difference, but if you can give £150 or £1500 or more, we have a special thank you gift in the form of copies of designs from the archives by Walter Crane and Edward Burne Jones respectively. See more information in the booklet.

The next 150 years of the RSN starts here, please support this important campaign today.

150 Forward Campaign

This September the RSN sees a change of Chairman. We say a huge thank you to outgoing Chairman, Andrew Palmer. Andrew has served the RSN as both Honorary Treasurer and, for the last five and a half years, as Chairman. In that time he has carefully overseen the RSN, in particular achieving more financial stability to build on for the future.

RSN Chief Executive, Dr Susan Kay-Williams comments: “Andrew has played a huge role in the development of the RSN. I have greatly valued his financial knowledge and wise counsel over the last 12 years.”

Replacing Andrew is Pip Wood. Pip joined the RSN Council in 2021 and brings a background of Chairmanship at one of the UK’s highest performing state secondary schools and a professional career of senior corporate and consumer communications roles in FTSE100 companies.

Pip regularly participates in RSN short courses and attended our 2022 International Summer School. She also spent time recently listening to feedback from customers, students, tutors and staff to help in planning our future development.

Pip Wood said:  “I discovered the RSN just before Lockdown in 2020 and welcomed the opportunity to become a trustee. Our activities during the pandemic have really extended our reach and given us even more ambition to look at how hand embroidery can enrich people’s lives.”

 

We will be returning to The Knitting and Stitching Show in London, 6 – 9 October. Visit our stand and view RSN Collection pieces alongside contemporary work, highlighting the organisation’s history, versatility and expertise. Also on the stand will be a special 150th anniversary design and everyone is invited to add some stitches.

As part of our anniversary celebrations, there will also be a quiz trail throughout the exhibition halls, challenging visitors to locate images of RSN students’ work, with a prize draw at the end.

For this special year, the RSN is teaching a striking black and gold design, inspired by an original hand drawn illustration by British artist and designer Selwyn Image (1849-1930) from our extensive Archive. During the 90 minute workshop taught every day, you will learn a variety of surface stitches and beginner Goldwork techniques. Goldwork is synonymous with both royalty and ecclesiastical vestments and is just one of the many techniques the RSN is famous for.

Book your place now on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

The show organisers are kindly offering a £2 discount code for standard advance tickets, so adults pay £16.50 and concessions pay £14. (Excludes Saturday 8 October and booking fees apply.) Code: WT22

For more information about the show and to book your tickets click here.

We will also be at The Knitting and Stitching Show in Harrogate from 17 – 20 November and bookings for those workshops will open soon. Find out more here.

We look forward to seeing you there!