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Somewhere between a pandemic and a ceremony at London’s Guildhall lies one of the most quietly remarkable journeys we have seen at SST. For now, it ends with opus anglicanum, the medieval English embroidery once prized across Europe. It began when Bronagh Sullivan enrolled at a time when the world
There is only one collection of its kind in the world. Over 300 works of contemporary British embroidery and stitch-based textile art, assembled over more than six decades, each piece acquired directly from the artist. It is the life’s work of Diana Springall MBE, and it began, she tells Gail
For most people, discovering that free-motion embroidery means you can draw with your sewing machine would be a mildly interesting thought and nothing more. For Cheryl McNay, it was the beginning of everything. A qualified finance professional with three children and a career that left creativity with only the smallest
There is a particular kind of expertise that comes from teaching textiles for many years. You know the techniques, the tools, the possibilities. And yet, even with that knowledge, the most important question can remain unanswered: which creative direction is truly yours? For Kerry, free-motion embroidery had always held the
A Chance Find and a Long-Awaited Return to Hand Embroidery There are discoveries you make in charity shops that change things. For Elaine Fraser, it was a partly finished embroidered linen tea tray cloth, its original threads still neatly bundled alongside it, waiting for hands confident enough to continue the
Claire Frampton’s journey with the School of Stitched Textiles is a powerful reflection of what can happen when curiosity meets commitment. Beginning her studies during the uncertainty of lockdown, Claire set out to build confidence in her embroidery skills and learn how to develop her own design ideas. What started
Gillian Richardson’s journey into hand embroidery is one shaped by persistence, curiosity, and a lifelong pull towards creativity. Largely self-taught, and having faced early challenges in learning traditional sewing techniques, Gillian spent years exploring different artistic disciplines before textiles truly took hold. What began as an interest in felting gradually
Brooke Booth recently completed our Skill Stage 2 Hand Embroidery course and is continuing her studies with us at the School of Stitched Textiles. Like many learners, Brooke began with a passion for embroidery but felt limited by her knowledge of stitches and a reliance on pre-designed kits. She was
When Susanne de Beer enrolled on our Skill Stage 3, intermediate Machine Embroidery course, she was already an experienced sewer and quilter. What she was seeking was not simply a new technique, but deeper confidence, structured progression, guided creative freedom and a qualification that would carry weight beyond hobby learning.
As part of our ongoing series exploring traditional and contemporary hand embroidery techniques, we’ve created this guide to thread painting. Traditionally known as silk shading, we’re here to explore one of the most refined and painterly forms of stitch. Across this series, we examine not only how techniques are worked,
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