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.