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19th April
An Introduction to Crewelwork with Lisa Bilby
Crewelwork is one of the oldest forms of surface embroidery and is conventionally worked with crewel wool on linen. A very satisfying technique which combines a wide variety of stitches with a beautiful range of colours. For many years crewel has been associated with “Jacobean” design - the Tree of Life and floral designs on chintz first imported from India in the seventeenth century.
Lisa Bilby came to embroidery whilst studying for her degree (Costume for the Stage and Screen) and this was to lead to three years as a student at the Royal School of Needlework. During the time she was at the RSN she won several prizes for her embroidery including the Hilda Watson prize for silkshading in 2002 and the Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver
Wyre Drawers prize for goldwork in 2003.
She returned home to Dorset after completing her studies in 2004 and now works as a freelance specialist embroiderer. She accepts private commissions for new embroideries from the traditional to the contemporary as well as undertaking a variety of restoration and conservation work.
She also teaches classes in a variety of techniques for the RSN, Embroiderers' Guild, WCE, independent groups and individuals across the South West as well as Embroidery Now.
17th May
Goldwork with Elizabeth Elvin
Goldwork, too, is one of the most ancient techniques and well known in England for over 1000 years. During the 10th to 13th centuries, embroidered Goldwork was one of this country’s most valuable exports. A sumptuous technique which combines use of a wide variety of differently shaped and coloured metal threads. Perfect for recreating both traditional and contemporary designs.
 Elizabeth Elvin has enjoyed a distinguished career in the world of embroidery since the 1960’s. After an apprenticeship at the Royal School of Needlework, she specialised in Goldwork and Silkwork and is one of the country’s leading exponents of ecclesiastical embroidery. She worked alongside Beryl Dean and Constance Howard and has taught in Canada, Australia and the USA.
For eighteen years Liz was the principal of the RSN under whose leadership the organisation became renowned for its high standards of teaching and executancy.
Having taken early retirement in 2007, Liz now concentrates on teaching and lecturing in Britain and abroad.
21st June Knot Gardens with Owen Davies
Knot Gardens, for our purposes, are worked on a canvas base with a variety of materials.This concept of recreating 3-dimensional gardens in embroidery has been evolved by Owen Davies.Learn to create the garden of your dreams by working paths, flower beds, water features, flower beds, hedges, and brick walls. This year the class in Winchester will introduce you to a vegetable garden as well as a conventional Knot Garden.
Owen Davies graduated from the Royal School of Needlework in 1994 as the first male successfully to complete the course. On leaving the RSN he began a freelance career as a textile artist teaching for the Embroiderers’ Guild and regional groups and became the Needlework Consultant for the John Lewis Partnership. Owen returned to work full-time at the RSN in 2004  where he is currently Head of Diploma Studies.
He has always had a passion for gardening and created the Embroidered Knot Gardens course teaching needlework to like minded enthusiasts. Owen has co-written with Gill Holdsworth the best selling book embroideredknotgardens.com published by Anova in 2006. He continues to promote the book through a series of workshops and lectures around the country.
19th July Creative Hardanger Whitework with Shelley Cox
Hardanger is a Whitework technique developed in Norway during the seventeenth century and worked in counted stitch on even weave fabric. The technique is usually worked in blocks, known as “Kloster Blocks” and can incorporate drawn thread work. Traditionally worked in white thread on white fabric, Hardanger has recently enjoyed a revival of interest and the introduction of colour and beads to make very attractive household items especially table wear. 
Shelley Cox is a librarian from New Zealand with a lifelong love of embroidery. Following a period of extensive travel, she decided on a career change and went to study at the Royal School of Needlework. After graduating, Shelley worked for several years as an RSN teacher and Studio embroiderer and since 2001 has enjoyed a successful freelance career teaching country-wide and undertaking embroidery commissions.
20th September
Further Goldwork with Florence Daisy Collingwood
Goldwork - develop more complex skills in this technique.
Florence Daisy Collingwood trained at the Guild of Handicrafts studying silversmithing before joining the Royal School of Needlework’s Apprenticeship. After three years as an RSN embroiderer and teacher, and having completing a two year PGCE teaching course, Flo is now a freelance embroiderer. She teaches privately and at the RSN and works on private commissions. She especially enjoys working on quilts and ecclesiastical goldwork, combining different traditional techniques with contemporary ideas.
18th October Embroidery for Christmas with Jenny Adin-Christie
Jenny will introduce you to ideas for gifts and novelties for Christmas. Specifically, you will learn to create Elizabethan-inspired sweet bags, beautiful miniature embroidered bags to contain treats and treasures on your Christmas tree, or for that special gift. [illustration to come]
Inspired by the exquisitely embroidered sweet bags of the Elizabethan period, we will use fine canvas embroidery embellished with three dimensional elements using needlelace worked in a combination of silk and metallic threads. You will learn how to work all the various elements required to complete the decoration of the bag during the class, and will be provided with comprehensive instructions to enable you to construct the bag at home.
Jenny Adin-Christie comes from Derbyshire. Having had a keen interest in embroidery since childhood, she chose traditional hand embroidery as a career and was exhaustively trained in this art on the Royal School of Needlework Apprenticeship. Since completing the course, she has worked at the Royal School for a further nine years as a tutor and member of the commercial Studio where she is now a Senior Project Manager. As a member of the Studio she designed and project-managed the creation of the new All Seasons and Lenten Altar Frontals for Canterbury Cathedral in 2006. She has also been running her own embroidery business for the last few years, teaching groups extensively across the UK, completing commissions and creating her own range of unique embroidery kits. She specialises in Stumpwork, Whitework and design for all forms of embroidery.
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