Certificate Student Deris Rollins

24th February, 2021

Meet Deris Rollins, from Texas.  Deris read about us in Inspirations magazine and did some online research about the School.  Before long, Deris was on a train heading to RSN Bristol and decided to start the Certificate Intensive course at Hampton Court Palace in 2018.

“I was planning a vacation to the UK to attend the Chelsea Flower Show in May 2017. While planning for the vacation, I saw that RSN Bristol had an ‘Introduction to Silk Shading English Rose’ Day Class taught by Helen Richman. This was my first time learning embroidery. I caught a train from London to Bristol and spent the whole day with other ladies learning Silk Shading. I really enjoyed it!

I decided to take the leap to Hampton Court to start on the RSN Certificate Intensive Program in the summer of 2018 because I wanted to learn Canvaswork. Here, in the United States, we pay all this money to buy pre-painted canvas with designs on them. I saw that the RSN taught you how to design your own canvas and select your own threads and make your own needlepoint. I thought that was very cool! So, I wanted to pursue the RSN Certificate so I could learn Canvaswork.

In 2018, I completed the Jacobean Crewelwork module and returned in 2019 to start Canvaswork. I plan to complete the Canvaswork piece and attend a day trip to Hampton Court to complete the mounting. Mounting is where I lost a lot of points on my Crewelwork and I want to do better with it in the Canvaswork evaluation!

During the Summer Intensives, I have really enjoyed meeting women and men from all over the world who have a passion for needlework. We keep in touch through social media and reach out to each other when someone posts a picture of their work, or has a birthday or on vacation.  We reach out to each other to ask questions, and check on when we will return for our next class.  I have also enjoyed seeing everyone’s beautiful completed work.  It is awesome to see someone’s work from beginning to end.  The Tutors are outstanding!! Fabulous instruction, very knowledgeable and confident.  They love their craft!!

The advice that I would give students thinking about taking an RSN course would be: Don’t be afraid if you are a beginner and have never done needlepoint. Go ahead and take a class and try it!  Also, when you attend a Summer Intensive, try to come up with a simple design so you can finish within the two weeks. Mounting is the hardest part and best done in class. Also, think about what you can use for a trestle when you take an Intensive as you must complete your homework in your hotel or Airbnb. If you have a plan before you arrive, it will make it easier to complete your homework. The RSN staff are very helpful and accommodating. The Tutors are the best in the world. The UK is one of my favourite places for a vacation because of the RSN and the friends I have met along my needlepoint journey.  In the future, I would like to complete the Silk Shading and Goldwork modules.”

We really look forward to welcoming back all of our international Certificate & Diploma students soon and wish Deris the best of luck on her RSN Certificate journey!

In the meantime, we are teaching the C&D Online and for new starters you can contact [email protected] to book your place on the next wave of online classes taught across three different time zones: UK/Europe, Australia/New Zealand/East Asia and North America.

Certificate & Diploma Courses Brochure

Book onto our next C&D Open Day to find out more.