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Welcome to your November 2015 Friends eNewsletter
Dear Friends,
For our North American supporters, we announce the Williamsburg Day Class and C&D dates next May, as well as our Summer 2016 Intensive Programme dates at Hampton Court Palace in this eNews - so get booking when you can!
The spring and autumn periods are "show time" and we have just completed three very successful Knitting & Stitching shows in London, Dublin and Harrogate, which closed its doors at the weekend. If you didn't get a chance to see us this autumn come and visit us next spring.
At the end of January we open our next RSN Studio exhibition entitled 'Peacocks & Pomegranates' which is open until July (set dates only). It will include about 100 pieces from China and India, as well as from Western Europe, which either take these icons as their central motif or feature them prominently. You are welcome in a group or as an individual visitor (pre-booking is essential).
We don't want you to miss out on daily RSN news so please Follow and Like us on social media, which is a great way to interact regularly with us.
Finally, the holidays are coming and we have the perfect Christmas gift ideas. Why not club together with family and friends to surprise your favourite stitcher who has longed for the Royal School of Needlework experience, with a Day Class and Shop Gift Voucher. Retail Manager Sarah Taylor presents them in an RSN card, wraps them beautifully and ties them with a pretty purple ribbon!
Keep warm and Happy Stitching!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Certificate & Diploma in Hand Embroidery Summer Intensive Programme - dates announced!
 
 
On the Summer 2015 Intensive programme we welcomed students from 13 countries over 8 weeks, from Botswana, America, USA, China, Japan, Brazil, Chile, Australia, Estonia and Europe as well as the UK. The buzz in the Classroom was electric, with students exchanging stories of their hand embroidery experiences back home, so it offers an international melting pot of ideas for everyone to go home with.The 2016 C&D Intensive sessions will run during July and August at Hampton Court Palace (HCP), and our satellites hold Intensives at different times during the summer term. The course concentrates on the Certificate core techniques of hand embroidery: Jacobean Crewelwork, Silk Shading, Canvas Work or Blackwork and Basic Goldwork, and is completed in a recommended order so that you develop and progress with confidence.
The course is very popular with international students and for those who work full-time, who devote two weeks each year to working on one technique; the course can be completed in five years. Each module is a 70 hours plus project and 40 hours of that time is tuition. The course is hard work, but students find it very rewarding to study amongst like-minded embroiderers in the environment of the Palace, with access to the RSN’s Library
Further C&D Summer Intensive Programme Information >>
Williamsburg, VA, we are coming back!
  
We are so very excited to bring you news that the RSN is returning to Williamsburg, Virginia, USA, from 2-14 May 2016! The Williamsburg School of Needlework will host RSN Day Classes and RSN Certificate & Diploma, taught by our wonderful RSN Tutors Jenny Adin-Christie and Tracy A Franklin.
In 2016 we are offering four Short Classes of 2 or 3 days, allowing students to develop their stitch in the RSN way. The Classes feature three types of embroidery including two classes in Whitework, Jenny’s specialist area. Alongside the Whitework is wonderful Metal Threadwork for the Butterfly Brooch and a traditional Elizabethan Sweetie bag to link contemporary stitch with the 16th century.
The Williamsburg booking will open from 15.00/3.00pm GMT on 8 December 2015. There will be 12 spaces on each course and they can be booked via our website.
For more on the Short Courses click here.
For more on the Certificate & Diploma click here.
New Embroidery Classes Opportunities
It’s hard to believe that we have almost come to the end of a whole term in our fabulous new rooms. Both students and Tutors have enjoyed the views and the new opportunities these rooms have offered.
We have tried some new class ideas and are currently in midst of planning some further classes which will run during the week in addition to our growing weekend class programme. We will be testing a selection of half day tasters in core techniques just to give people a flavour of what we do, as well as some longer courses offering new stitchers the opportunity to learn and develop core stitches in a warm and friendly environment.
Our monthly Stitch Surgery will open from late January and will offer the perfect place for anyone to bring along an unfinished project, for some advice and help from one of our dedicated RSN Tutors.
We would also love to hear what you want from your Day Class programme so please do let us know, whether this is by completing a feedback form after attending a class or simply email Noleen.Wyatt-Jones@royal-needlework.org.uk. Your opinions and ideas really do matter.
News from the Future Tutors programme
The 1st and 2nd year Future Tutors (FT) have completed their Canvaswork module with RSN Tutor Rachel Doyle and have produced some truly beautiful work; the 1st years with Canvas Stitches and the 2nd years with Canvas Shading. They also learnt how to block Canvaswork, to stretch it back to a true 90 degree shape which involved lots of tacks, hammering and upholstery skills.
  
As part of the Future Tutor programme, General Practice Days take place once a week and on Wednesday 2 December there is a SSAFA Sweetheart Pincushion Workshop taking place at HCP.
SSAFA Wilts are undertaking a WWI commemorative arts project, based on the sweetheart pincushions made by soldiers recovering from injuries. One of the earliest forms of occupational therapy, little is known of these pincushions and few remain.
SSAFA Wilts are to coordinate the creation of 100 hearts, each one to hold a regimental badge or crest of either a WWI regiment that passed through Wiltshire, or a current Wiltshire-based regiment. This project is to highlight SSAFA’s enduring support for the Forces Family; recognition of the continued important role that Wiltshire plays in hosting and training the Army and, most importantly, acknowledging the power of the heart in sustaining us through adversity, always. We will show you the result of the days work next month.
For more on SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families) go to: www.ssafa.org.uk/surrey
Become a RSN Tutor...they are wanted all over the world!
The RSN Future Tutors programme is specifically designed for men and women who want to pursue a career in teaching hand embroidery techniques to the highest standard. This 3 year full-time course is the RSN’s own professional qualification and includes a teaching qualification to BTEC Level 4.
We are now receiving applications for the September 2016 intake, deadline 31 March.
To apply for the course please send your covering letter and CV to Programme Director Anne.Butcher@royal-needlework.org.uk
BA (Hons) Hand Embroidery for Fashion, Interiors, Textile Art
'House of Dreams'
On Monday 19 October, 2nd year Degree students visited the ‘House of Dreams’ in Dulwich by artist Stephen Wright. Stephen has been a visiting lecturer at HCP for the student’s recent Interiors Project; he uses the discarded objects of everyday life to create mosaics. They have been working with found objects to explore the theme of ‘Dreams and Nightmares’.
The Society of Dyers and Colourists is dedicated to advancing the science and technology of colour.
On Monday 23 November, 1st and 2nd year Degree students Rei Takahashi and Connie Wynn with RSN Chief Executive Dr Susan Kay-Williams attended the SDC International Design Competition 2015 Grand Final. The event was held at the Fashion and Textile Museum and welcomed entrants from 11 countries. Congratulations to the winner Aoife Mullane from the National College of Art and Design, Ireland!
To book a place on our Degree Open Days on 2 and 12 December contact: degreeadministrator@royal-needlework.org.uk
Hand & Lock Prize for Embroidery
On 5 November, Degree students and staff attended the Hand & Lock Prize for Embroidery at the Bishopsgate Institute, which was transformed into a grand exhibition space to host the live final. This annual competition encourages the use of hand embroidery in fashion and seeks to discover emerging embroidery talent.
Finalists’ work from Australia, Russia, Japan, France and the UK stood in two circles in the centre of the hall and after a brief speech from the Hand & Lock Chairman the live voting commenced. After 45 minutes of intense judging, the public vote was combined with the judge’s scores to establish the winners and runners up.
Shortly after 8pm winners in both the Student Category and the Open category were announced, followed by the announcement of the Wilcom Institutional Prize.
The Open Category Prize winner was Jacky Puzey; the Student Prize Winner was Emily-Rose Spreadborough; the Wilcom Institutional Prize was the London College of Fashion.
The 1st year Degree students will be given the 2016 brief in January, entitled 'Objects of Desire | Artist Heirloom', and they are already excited about getting started!
News from RSN Chief Executive Dr Susan Kay-Williams
I have just returned from speaking at the 'The Common Thread' symposium at North Carolina State University where RSN Diploma student Katherine Diuguid is Assistant Professor. Katherine invited me to give the keynote speech on her research on colour history to an audience of students, tutors and practitioners from North Carolina and environs. They also promoted a Study Abroad programme which Katherine is hoping to run at the RSN next summer.
It was an extremely interesting and convivial conference with fun practical workshops on many aspects of textile art. Of course, I was drawn to the dyeing and had a fun afternoon playing with indigo!
Two days after returning from America, RSN Degree Contextual Studies Lecturer, Dr Clare Rose, and I hosted a special event for Degree students following their trip to the Fabric of India exhibition. I brought in photographs showing many of the craft dyers, weavers, printers and embroiderers I met whilst travelling in India and some of the modern fabrics I purchased. Clare brought in folk textile pieces from traditions now dying out. Students from all three years came to the session.
Selvedge magazine, 'Artisan Christmas'
We have had a great link with Selvedge magazine for many years and they are offering the RSN readers a special offer. Join Selvedge in London and Bath at their 'Artisan Christmas' fair to browse a truly tempting range of vintage haberdashery, homewares and new and antique textiles from all over the world. With over 100 artisans in London and 30 in Bath you can pick up the perfect presents, as well as meet the people who have made them, in a friendly and inspiring environment.
• London: Chelsea Old Town Hall, London, SW3 5EE, 3-4 December (Thursday 11am-5pm and Friday 10am-5pm). Advance tickets £5, available from www.selvedge.org
• Bath: The American Museum in Britain, Claverton Manor, BA2 7BD, Saturday 12 December, 12pm-5pm. Free entry with museum admission.
If you’re looking for the perfect gift this Christmas why not choose a subscription to Selvedge magazine? Friends of the RSN will receive a 10% discount when you enter the code RSNSELV2016.
2015-2016 Dates for your Diary
‘Magna Carta (An Embroidery)’ by artist Cornelia Parker: now until 3 January, Oxford
You may recall back in May that the RSN FTs and Studio were involved in stitching the Goldwork crown on the Majesty panel of this amazing work and played a key role in bringing together the 87 sections by creating and attaching the hand-made cord to represent the Wikipedia page’s left hand side bar. The RSN stitched the sections together for the embroidery’s public display at the British Library and the work has also been at the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester.
It is now on display at the Bodleian Library in Oxford until 3 January 2016. The Library holds four original engrossments of Magna Carta, and Cornelia's work was commissioned by The Ruskin School of Art so it is particularly appropriate for the embroidery to be displayed in Oxford.
For further information click here.
'For Worship & Glory' exhibition: 3 - 28 February, Chester Cathedral
There will be more than 50 examples of ecclesiastical hand embroidery from the 18th to 20th century.
We can now announce the hand embroidery Workshops which we will teach during this popular exhibition (NB. Ely Cathedral welcomed 8.000 visitors and could have sold the Workshops five times over so get booking soon!).
• 9 February: Goldwork by Deborah Wilding
• 11, 12,13 February: Goldwork and Silk Shading by Amanda Ewing
• 18 February: Silk Shading by Kate Barlow
• 25 February: White work by Angela Bishop
RSN Chief Executive Dr Susan Kay-Williams will give two lectures:
• 12 February: ‘Ecclesiastical Embroidery’. Learn more about the pieces in the exhibition and how they fit into the wider picture of ecclesiastical embroidery in the UK.
• 23 February: ‘With Just a Needle & Thread 2016’. See RSN work of yesterday and especially today, featuring work from Certificate, Diploma, Future Tutors and Degree students. This lecture shows just how varied embroidery really can be.
Booking opens early December on the Chester Cathedral website.
  
The Knitting & Stitching Show: 3-6 March, London Olympia
We are teaching 1.5hr Workshops in Goldwork and Jacobean Crewelwork.
For further information click here.
The Contemporary Textiles Fair: 19-20 March, Landmark Arts Centre, Teddington
We are teaching 1.5hr Workshops in Goldwork and Blackwork.
For further information click here.
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