The RSN Certificate & Diploma course in Technical Hand Embroidery gives the unique opportunity to learn a craft from several different locations, both Online and Onsite.

Meet Diploma Student Emma Frith, who shares her experience of the Certificate & Diploma (C&D) course, at the RSN Durham satellite location.

“I completed my first Certificate module, Jacobean Crewelwork, at Hampton Court Palace, but after we moved house, I transferred to Durham.

 It turned out to be an excellent move, because Tutor Tracy Franklin was exactly the mentor I needed, and she’s been incredibly supportive.

I originally chose to do the C&D Course because a disability had forced a career change. After many years working as a scientist and having to do art and embroidery in my spare time, I decided to take the plunge and retrain as a self-employed artist, with a special interest in ecclesiastical hand embroidery.

I chose the C&D path to expand my technical skills, and to underpin my career change from science to art. I had always used creative hobbies to help manage constant pain but had no formal training until I started with the RSN.

The C&D Course was flexible enough to fit around my busy life as a parent and Vicar’s wife, and the module structure allowed me to take a deep dive into different sorts of embroidery.

My career change turned out to be the best and kindest thing I ever did for myself, and Tracy was there for me the whole time, as were my colleagues (now friends) in the studio. I really enjoyed coming up with designs that reflected my artistic interests as well as pushing my technical skills as much as I possibly could within the brief, to build a portfolio that best reflects my work.

 I am now a full-time artist, and the tutor for the needlework guild of Southwell Minster, designing and making clerical vestments for use in the cathedral.

About my depiction of May Morris: I love the Arts and Crafts movement, and I wanted to design a piece that celebrated May Morris for my Stumpwork. I hand-made all the components, including the little tools and a miniature Stumpwork-within-a-Stumpwork on the work box. I wanted to make my work fully three dimensional, rather than the more usual ‘relief’ style, so I made a diorama of her studio, which incorporates two of her embroidery designs, and picks up the theme of ‘strawberry thief’ by her father, William Morris.”

Find out more about the RSN’s Certificate & Diploma Course by attending our next Online Open Day at 9am UK time on Tuesday 19 March Book here.