We are excited to launch the global ‘RSN Postcard from Home’ hand embroidery challenge! The challenge is open to everyone from around the world, regardless of their technical level of stitch, with the aim of making us all feel connected through our universal love of hand embroidery.

Join in the challenge — tag your Postcard images with #RSNPostcardFromHome on Instagram, Facebook and other social sites!


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Be inspired, and stitch a Postcard!

The RSN is encouraging you to create a piece of hand embroidered art in the form of a ‘Postcard’ to mark this globally impactful event affecting all of us.  The ‘RSN Postcard From Home’ project is for stitchers worldwide, so please share with everyone you know, and let’s get trending and keep connected on social media with the hashtag #RSNPostcardFromHome.

The best part of the project is that everyone can take part, whether you are an experienced hand embroiderer, have never picked up a needle and thread in your life, an adult or a child.  It is the perfect project to get your creativity flowing and to allow your mind to focus whilst stitching a piece of historical art.

Many of us are now based at home where we have had time to reflect on what is the true meaning of ‘home’ and the energy it gives us, and you will have happy memories of fun and crazy times with family and friends at home.

Home, Sweet Home

Your ‘Postcard From Home’ can be inspired by your own home or garden, by your town or city where you live now or lived in the past – somewhere you have always ‘felt at home’.  There are no rights and wrongs, just create something which fires your imagination.

When you stitch your Postcard, you might decide to work on it by yourself and that this will be your ‘happy hour’ away from daily life, or you might want to develop it as a fun ‘home schooling’ project with children or someone else in the household, or with a group of friends online. If you are a teacher you may suggest it as a fun project for children to work on at home, as time away from their screens, and encourage them to bring their Postcards to school when they return.

Your ‘Postcard From Home’ can be inspired by your own home or garden, by your town or city where you live now or lived in the past — somewhere you have always ‘felt at home’. There are no rights and wrongs, just create something which fires your imagination! If you create several Postcards, you could send them through the post to your loved ones who you have not seen for some time or organise an exchange of ‘Postcards’ amongst your craft group and friends.

We can’t wait to see the Postcards you create as well as hear the stories of what the project has ignited in your creative hearts and minds.

Share your Postcards on Facebook, Instagram and other social sites using the hashtag #RSNPostcardFromHome, and share the development of your Postcards with us, the rest of the RSN community and the world!

Getting Started

The challenge is open to all regardless of ability or age. You can use any stash of fabric and threads you may have at home — this is part of the challenge, so no need to buy anything special.

Step 1 — Design and Composition

Let’s start by thinking about what ‘home’ means to you, where have you always ‘felt at home’ and what aspects would you like to feature in your Postcard. This can include:

  • featuring an aspect of your own home or garden, where you live now or lived in the past;
  • the name of the village, town or city;
  • a famous landmark, street or skyline in the area; did someone famous or someone you admire come from there;
  • where you met your soul mate;
  • a view from a window in your home, whether buildings, trees, flowers or even your pet enjoying a sunny spot!

Step 2 — Size and Scale

Having chosen a design composition which you feel best represents your home, the next step is to ensure that you can fit it all within the Postcard dimensions. This is very much your own interpretation, large or small. We would suggest 6 x 4 inches (10 x 15 centimetres) but you may want to scale this up or down — you are the artist after all! You might even want to make a three-dimensional Postcard, or a Postcard pincushion!

Step 3 — Colours, Fabric and Threads

At this stage, you consider the colours you have to work with. Look around your home for any fabric and threads you may have, leftovers from other projects, perhaps an old tea towel or clothing. Gather it all together in a box so that it is ready for you to dip into.

Step 4 — Interpretation

Now think about how you would like to interpret your design composition in fabric and stitch. You may wish to consider the following:

  • colours;
  • thickness of thread;
  • range of textures whether threads or stitch;
  • types of stitches;
  • will you stitch all of the area or leave blank spaces of background fabric visible.

Step 5 — Finishing

Lastly, consider how you will finish your Postcard? You might decide that you would like a tidy edge or play with your colour choice to make the edge a feature.

Step 6 — Tell the World!  #RSNPostcardFromHome

Share your finished Postcards on Facebook, Instagram and other social sites using the hashtag #RSNPostcardFromHome, and you can also share the development of your Postcards with us, the rest of the RSN community and the world!

Happy Stitching!