Read about the latest unique project from the RSN Embroidery Studio, where the team created a very special embroidery transfer and kit for our customer Kay Hopkinson, based on a Women’s Royal Naval Service badge (WRNS) from WW2:

“In 2021, I enrolled on an Online embroidery course with my local education authority. When I was searching my craft room for materials, I looked through an old sewing bag which had belonged to my late mother-in-law, and in it I discovered a leaflet and instructions for a WRNS badge, which was designed by the RSN but put together in kit form by Briggs of Manchester. This was number 93 in a series of 133 Services badges and would have included two transfers for two sizes of badge. 

My mother-in-law had served with the WRNS during and after the Second World War and had obviously used the pattern and transfer to do her own embroidery at the time. My husband was very keen for me to create the badge as an embroidery but there was no transfer with the pattern, so he set about researching Online to see if he could find an original transfer but without any luck. Not one to give up easily, he decided to email the RSN with a request for help in tracking down the transfer. 

Unfortunately the RSN could not find the pattern in the archives, but offered to recreate the pattern. After my husband had sent the RSN the leaflet and instructions for the original pattern, he agreed to commission them to recreate a kit of the badge design. All the RSN had to go on to recreate the cap badge was a small colour picture on the original leaflet, which was nearly 80 years old.

When the kit arrived in October of that year, he was absolutely delighted, but I was terrified of making a poor attempt at embroidering it. Whilst I had learnt to embroider at school and with my mother at home, I was an amateur and this kit required skill and expertise to make a good, finished badge. Over the course of three days, I was taught by Angie Burt, a Tutor at Higham Hall in the Lake District, who really helped me and got me started on the embroidery, giving me enough instructions and confidence that I could continue the embroidery at home on my own afterwards.

I finally finished my piece in June and once it was framed I entered it into the Clitheroe and District WI Craft and Produce Show. I was a little disappointed with my Third Place but the judge hadn’t studied it very carefully because she commented that “I should keep my felting even”! My mistake was to put ordinary glass on it because she could not see the work clearly – perhaps I should have left it unframed, but I wanted to protect it.

I was delighted with the final result, and I now enjoy a new hobby of hand embroidery. This is all thanks to the RSN and to Angie Burt. I would like to thank RSN Studio Manager Gemma Murray who oversaw all the work in creating the transfer.”

Do you have a special embroidery piece you would like recreated by the RSN Embroidery Studio, or a family heirloom you would like restored?

Get in touch with our RSN Studio team for a quote!

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