In July, we will be staging our first exhibition at Hampton Court Palace in three years, ‘A Girl’s Education in Stitch’. The exhibition will demonstrate the variety of work stitched by girls as part of their education and will feature fascinating objects from the RSN Collection and Archive.

In the early days of formal education, embroidery substituted for reading, writing and maths, so we see the use of Map Samplers in which girls learned writing and geography as well as embroidery. Moving through to the 1900s, we see the start of dressmaking as part of the curriculum through miniature outfits from knickers to pinafores.

Objects on display will include notebooks from students as they learn their dressmaking, some with fine penmanship, and samplers from the early days ranging from band samplers to map and darning samplers, including items from across the 18^th and 19^th centuries. From the 20^th century we will focus on the Needlework Development Scheme and other ways in which children were taught to stitch along with examples of work from girls across the UK.

We are offering Curator Tours with RSN Chief Executive and Curator Dr Susan Kay-Williams; Guided Tours and Talk & Tours. The exhibition opens 20 July and runs until March 2023.  Book your place now to avoid disappointment. Click here.