A Christmas and Winter Hiatus…

It feels like only yesterday we were lighting the first candle of December, wrapping ourselves in winter wool and anticipation… and then — blink! — the calendar fluttered its pages and nearly three whole months slipped by like silk thread through a needle’s eye.

Core Stitches and Blackwork

As the year drew its velvet curtain closed, we completed several of our sample frames — including the original, beloved Core Stitch Frame. This was our return to the very bones of embroidery: crewelwork in its purest form. Back to the foundational stitches — the steady, dependable companions that will carry us through our time at the Royal School of Needlework. There was something deeply satisfying about revisiting the “core” — like rediscovering the alphabet of a language you’re about to fall in love with all over again. And now that my frame is finished, I couldn’t be more proud. Every stitch feels like a quiet promise of what’s to come.

Then came blackwork — elegant, exacting, and far more mischievous than I had anticipated.

We began in late November, and I truly believed I would adore its precision. Order! Geometry! Delicious repetition! But blackwork had other plans for me. It demanded discipline. Patience. An almost architectural awareness of where every needle must emerge. We learned the historic stitch styles, the hypnotic repeat patterns, and how subtle shifts in thread density can conjure shadows and light from nothing but ink-dark thread.

And then — the true test — merging patterns and building shaded forms on our sample frame. Our final piece was a coloured blackwork motif, one we had originally designed for our Core Stitch Frame. A motif that will travel with us through every learning frame — like a personal emblem stitched in evolving stages of our education.

I struggled, I’ll admit it. Patterns must flow seamlessly. Stitches must align with unwavering accuracy. The needle must rise in precisely the right place, again and again and again. But perhaps that is the quiet magic of blackwork — it humbles you before it reveals its beauty.

Object Analysis Essays….

Our next adventure took us not to a frame, but into the archive.

For our Contextual Studies assignment, we were each entrusted with an object from the RSN Archive and asked to write an Object Analysis Essay. The treasures assigned across our class were wonderfully varied — Asian textiles whispering of distant craftsmanship, military insignia heavy with symbolism, embroidered interior panels, fashion pieces layered with history.

My object? A Hungarian fast fashion blouse from the 1930s–40s.

Reader… I disappeared into a rabbit hole of research so deep I half expected to emerge in another decade. Folk tradition, regional motifs, the evolution of “fast fashion” long before our modern understanding of it — the threads of history wound themselves around me completely. I adored every minute. There is something delicious about tracing the lineage of a stitch across time. And to my surprise, I discovered I have a rather keen fondness for research. It turns out I enjoy unravelling stories almost as much as I enjoy stitching them.

Creative Stitch - Abstraction and Embellishments

Then — creative freedom.

Our next assignment asked us to transform one of our previous painted works into a stitched sample. We mounted a large frame and began abstracting — pulling shapes, marks, and textures from stitches we had already learned in our Core classes. Suddenly, embroidery felt less like replication and more like spellcasting.

Beads. Straws. Recycled fragments. Sequins. Anything that could be coaxed beneath a needle was fair game. Texture upon texture, shimmer against matte, control beside chaos. It was a glorious reminder that embroidery has no ceiling — only horizons.

For my final creative piece, I chose to mount it separately in a hoop. I wanted it to feel independent — its own small kingdom. I leaned into couture techniques, building dimensional flowers that seemed to bloom right off the fabric. I embellished with beads, goldwork materials… and yes, an onion bag. Because why not? If embroidery teaches us anything, it’s that transformation is its greatest trick.

That freedom — that permission to experiment — has been quietly shaping my own style. I feel as though I’m only just beginning to understand the visual language that belongs to me.

A King, a Palace, an Inspiration

And now, another grand chapter begins.

Following the Lock & Co. Christmas ornament we created in our first term, we have been tasked with designing a head adornment to be displayed in the window of Lock & Co. Hatters next year, alongside the new first years’ Christmas decorations.

The brief? To design a head adornment inspired by Hampton Court Palace.

And so, sketchbooks in hand, we wandered the palace like textile magpies. Stonework carvings, iron gates curling like metallic vines, regal portraits, mischievous gargoyles, garden ornaments basking in winter light — every surface seemed to hum with possibility.

After pages and pages of sketching, my final design has emerged from three muses: the stained glass windows, the floral ironwork, and the winding garden vines. I’ve translated them into something almost ethereal — drifting in blue and gold, like twilight caught in metal and silk.

The paper mock-up now sits before me, quiet and full of promise.

And now… it’s time to bring it to life in thread.

Here’s hoping I can do the palace justice — and perhaps stitch a little of its magic into every curve. ✨

A Whimsical Month at the RSN ✨

Another month has floated by at the RSN — a blur of stitches, sketchbooks, and the occasional bleary-eyed commute. With classes five days a week, one day reserved for homework, and weekends spent working full shifts, my “me time” has mostly been reduced to stolen cups of tea and sleepy bus rides. But honestly? When you adore your course as much as I do, it feels more like being swept up in a creative current than being overwhelmed. I wouldn’t trade it.

Christmas Baubles and a Window Into History

We kicked off the month by finishing up some of our little projects — and some even ventured into the world on display!

During our first few days at RSN, we were given a sweet little challenge: hand-embroider Christmas baubles for the window at the legendary Lock & Co. Hatters in St James.
Yes — that Lock & Co., the oldest hat shop in the world, tracing its roots all the way back to 1662.

The theme this year was simple: red and gold, but the creative freedom? Entirely ours. Knowing our work would twinkle in the window of such a storied, historical establishment felt like being entrusted with a tiny piece of magic. We all stitched our hearts out.

Postcards from Home

Alongside our festive baubles, we also displayed our summer projects. Before term began, we were asked to create a “postcard from home” on — wait for it — an embroidered baseball cap. A wearable love letter to wherever we come from.

Among the sea of British landscapes and symbols were a few caps proudly representing faraway roots: Canada, the US, and Australia (mine, of course). Seeing them all lined up felt like being part of a beautifully eclectic, embroidered atlas..

Ink to Thread: Drawing for Design

This month we also wrapped up a section of our Drawing for Design project. After freehanding monochrome ink sketches (some of which I shared in my last blog), our task was to translate those dreamy, inky forms into large embroidery hoops — no tracing allowed.

Armed with black threads, cottons, yarns, fibres, and even wires, we stitched as freely as we had drawn. Trying to match the looseness of ink with the precision of thread was equal parts challenging and enchanting.

We've been dabbling in all sorts of unexpected materials — from water-soluble felt tip markers, crayons, pencils, inks, more inks, to multimedia elements (including bleach and salt!). These sessions have really pushed me to loosen up, creatively speaking, and embrace the beautifully weird. It’s been challenging to shake off the “but-is-this-right?” mindset, but watching how wildly different each student's piece turns out has been the best kind of eye-opener. We're not just learning embroidery here — we're slowly discovering who we are as artists.

A Kaleidoscope of Paper Petals

Next up: colour! Based on last month’s multimedia pieces, we created colourful 3Dpaper collages inspired by a brand-new palette.

We spent an entire day hand-painting sheets of paper in all sorts of hues, textures, and odd little patterns. Then came the tearing, cutting, arranging…

Well — the others tore loosely.
I tore every single petal to the exact size I wanted. Every. Single. One.

Naturally, my perfectionism meant my collage came home with me for extra attention. After finishing the paper piece, we then embellished it with playful stitches, adding texture and sparkle. I loved this project, even if it tested (and exposed) my inner perfectionist.

Threads of Obedience

We also handed in our first contextual embroidery assignment. Given an era between 1500 and the present, we had to choose a subject and present a ten-minute, fully referenced talk.

My period: 1650–1675
My topic: embroidery samplers
My angle: a feminine, critical exploration titled “Threads of Obedience: The Making of Marriageable Women.”

It was as fascinating as it was sobering to research — and I genuinely loved diving into it.

The Palace Prepares

As for the palace itself, it’s gently settling into winter. Halloween has faded into memory, and now the courtyards shimmer with golden baubles. Christmas music drifts through the air, soft and nostalgic, as twinkling trees glow in corners and windows.

It feels like the whole place is exhaling into the season — and I’m stitching right along with it.

Lost in Loops: Adventures of my First Month of Embroidery

It’s been one month since I began my journey as a Hand Embroidery Degree student at Hampton Court Palace — something that was once just a dream. And yet, here I am. Let me tell you: it’s every bit as surreal as you’d imagine…

First Impressions

From our very first day we began with inductions, introductions and a tour of the palace grounds, and honestly, it was hard to focus on practical things like where the toilets were when I was too busy whispering “wow” under my breath every three steps.

The palace is already looking like its from a storybook, with the weather changing, the leaves dropping and the warm coats being out, the feeling of walking through the gardens, rugged up with a cup of tea makes you feel like your in a movie from the 1800’s — complete with tapestries, turrets, and tourist groups walking through the halls.

In between gawking at 500-year-old architecture of course, we were also trying to remember each other’s names. A wonderfully talented bunch of students have joined this year — each with their own creative background and flair. It's both inspiring and, occasionally, a bit intimidating… but mostly inspiring (I promise).

We hit the ground running with our core stitch classes — and as someone who fully identifies as a perfectionist, this has been oddly satisfying. There's something deeply soothing about being allowed (and encouraged!) to get completely lost in making your stitch angles just right. The teaching style here is incredibly supportive, and it’s clear the tutors are masters of both technique and gentle encouragement. Honestly, my inner neat freak and OCD tendencies are thriving!

But just when I thought I had found my embroidery comfort zone, along came the experimental classes and markmaking...

When the Brief is "Think Outside the Hoop"

Let me just say: if traditional stitchwork is a calm walk through a rose garden, experimental embroidery is more like a spirited trek through an abstract art jungle… wearing mismatched shoes… and jumping over creeks to get to where I need to be. I have managed to get incredibly frustrated with myself in these classes, but overall, I have loved the opportunity to explore different ways of creating, following briefs that I wouldn’t normally have chosen, and honestly I’m loving the challenge and seeing the outcome of what I have managed to create is a great reassurance to myself.

We've been dabbling in all sorts of unexpected materials — from water-soluble felt tip markers, crayons, pencils, inks, more inks, to multimedia elements (including bleach and salt!). These sessions have really pushed me to loosen up, creatively speaking, and embrace the beautifully weird. It’s been challenging to shake off the “but-is-this-right?” mindset, but watching how wildly different each student's piece turns out has been the best kind of eye-opener. We're not just learning embroidery here — we're slowly discovering who we are as artists.

Threads of the Past

Alongside all the stitching and experimenting, we’re diving deep into the rich history of embroidery — starting from the 1500s onward. Each of us has been assigned a historical period to research, and we’ll be giving short presentations to the class. It’s already led to some fascinating rabbit holes (and a few “wait, embroidery did what during the 17th century?” moments). My particular era has been from 1650-1675 and let me tell you, my feminist side is rearing it’s head with this one! The mix of practical work and academic learning keeps things interesting…

We’ve also taken some field trips to soak in even more inspiration. The V&A Museum was a goldmine for our History of Embroidery project, and we also visited the Fashion and Textile Museum to explore the Cosprop exhibition — an incredible showcase of costume design that had us all mentally stitching waistcoats for imaginary period dramas and swooning over period style dresses.

Christmas with Lock and Co.

As if studying in a palace wasn’t enough of a fairytale, we have also been given the opportunity to contribute to the Christmas window display at Lock & Co. Hatters in Central London — the oldest hat shop in the world, no less. The theme is red and gold, and the brief struck the perfect balance between festive tradition and refined elegance. Each of us are creating unique hand-stitched decorations, from shimmering gold stars to rich red baubles and other charming flourishes. It will be a joy to see how our individual styles come together to form a cohesive display — a little RSN sparkle for the holiday season. There’s something surreal about knowing our work will be twinkling away in one of London’s most historic shop windows… and I may or may not have plans to loiter nearby to watch strangers admire it…

Palace Privileges

One of the biggest perks of studying here — apart from, you know, studying with the Royal School of Needlework — is the free roaming access we have to Hampton Court Palace during our breaks. There’s something wildly romantic about wandering the chapel and galleries between classes. The building is more than a backdrop; it’s a constant source of inspiration (and sometimes distraction, but who can blame us?).

Looking Ahead

It’s only been a month, but this experience already feels like the beginning of something big. I'm learning, stretching, unpicking (sometimes literally), and slowly weaving my identity into every stitch. There’s a real sense that we're all part of something special — not just because of where we’re studying, but because of who we're becoming through it.

If the first month is any indication, this year (and next three!) is going to be full of creativity, challenges, laughter, and probably a few thread-related emotional breakdowns. And honestly? I can’t wait.

My Embroidery Journey: From Iron to Gold

If you had told me a few years ago that I’d leave behind my somewhat stable life, sell my house, and move to the other side of the world to study a Bachelors Degree in Hand Embroidery at Hampton Court Palace as a mature age student, I might’ve laughed and given you a very Australian sarcastic response telling you it would be a dream come true, before going back to my Pilbara mining camp job as a housekeeper, never to speak of it again. Yet here I am, starting a new life chapter - needle in hand and heart wide open - at the Royal School of Needlework.

I was first introduced to embroidery through watching my mother as a young girl, though I didn’t pick up a needle and thread myself until many years later. I was often keeping myself occupied with drawing or other art mediums.

As you can see from my website, my main medium that I fell in love with from the age of 14 was beadwork, for years I would get absolutely lost in creating unique pieces through basic stringing and wire techniques, all the way through to more complicated bead weaving.

My real love for embroidery picked up when I was living in Perth, Australia.

I worked in mining hospitality for six years- remote, intense, hot, sweaty, gross… far removed from silk thread and the elegance of goldwork.

I had gone through a major adjustment already, quitting my FIFO mining job to spend my time at home and properly live in my house full time for the first time, I was working another hospitality job and had an off chance conversation with one of my colleagues on different techniques of embroidery and how I would love to learn to incorporate my beadwork into something bigger and more elaborate.

After this conversation, I was sent the contact information of Margot Merendino, a couture fashion designer and embroiderer based in Perth, whose brochure was conveniently pinned to the back of my colleagues toilet door, along with many other fashion related brochures…(a toilet door eh? who knew this dunny door would change my life). After this, I had the absolute pleasure of learning two couture embroidery sample boards from Margot, spending easily over 120 hours learning as much as I could while coming up with my further plan.

There was something in the detail, the discipline and the artistry that felt deeply intuitive to me. But in Australia, there was no path to formally study embroidery at the depth and standard I craved. I kept searching, and that’s when I discovered the RSN.

It was bold. It was terrifying.

But the seed had been planted… And it was exactly what I needed.

The desire to create, to reconnect with something so beautifully artistic and meaningful had massed over time. So I made one of the hardest and biggest decisions of my life: I sold my home, packed up everything familiar and thanks to my dual citizenship, I followed my dream to London.

After 4 years of living in London, Walking into Hampton Court Palace and the Royal School of Needlework was a life changing experience in the best possible way. The centuries of history, the echoes of craftsmanship, the weight of legacy - it felt both surreal and completely right. To be learning in such a place, with tutors who are masters of their art, is a privelege i still have to pinch myself about.

This blog is where I’ll share that journey: the beauty and the challenges of traditional techniques, the evolution of my practice, the moments of doubt and triumph, and all the stitches in between. I hope it becomes a space not to just document my path, but to connect with others who find joy, purpose and transformation in the making.

Thank you for being here. I’ve taken the first stitch- let’s see what unfolds.