My Amazing news – which hopefully explains why I haven’t been posting for a while.

I realise that it has been some time since I updated my ongoing embroidery story. I have been doing some stitching however a couple of other activities have kept me from posting for the last couple of months and I now have some Really Good News that I am very excited about.

What have I been up to?

After returning home from such a wonderful stitching experience at the Royal School of Needlework, I realised that what I really wanted to do was return to the RSN to do more – that is more embroidery classes, more designing, more fun with threads, and most especially more learning in that beautiful setting at Hampton Court Palace – it really is a magical place.

While at the RSN I had investigated the Future Tutors course – which is the full time 3 year course that trains students to become tutors in all of the techniques taught by the RSN. The course was described to me by current students as ‘intense’, ‘demanding’ and ‘like doing the intensive classes for three years straight’, and a real emotional, physical and mental challenge.

Another daunting aspect of this course is the application process – I would need to submit a written application accompanied by a portfolio of my work, and from the application pool a limited number of applicants would be selected for a stage one interview – which would be a full day, group work interview. After this a smaller number of candidates would be offered a second round interview. Following the second interviews approximately 4 candidates would be offered a place on the course.

So, after much dithering about my ability to actually do this, I adopted a ‘nothing ventured nothing gained’ attitude and decided to apply. I sent off the submission and portfolio in February and found out in late March that I had been successful in gaining a first round interview – in the U.K. After a very quick trip over to the RSN – the gardens were beautiful as spring was just bursting out – and a full day group interview, I came back to Australia hoping to hear that I made the second round. The notification did come for a second interview and following this, in the most amazing email, I was offered a place on the 2019 course!

So I will be commencing on the Future Tutors course in early September 2019, and I hope to be able to continue to post occasional updates on this blog as I progress on the course.

Spring Daffodils in the Wilderness Garden.

Recent Stitching

My recent stitch work has been exploring Slow Stitching in a class led by Lisa Mattock. I have turned the larger piece I made into a zipped compendium, and the second piece into a needlework tool folder. I had a fun weekend assembling and stitching these pieces which had started the day as bits of damaged doilies and hand made lace. The workshop was hosted in a beautiful new venue (Lewington Studio) in the countryside near Brisbane. This was a delightful and very relaxing weekend with great company and amazing food.

Needlework tool folder.

Prior to this I had taken two classes organised through my local Embroiderers Guild with the wonderful Alison Snepp. Alison is a very professional and personable tutor and her classes are brilliant, so I am sad to hear that after many years she will finish teaching embroidery later this year, though hopefully this will give her the opportunity follow some of her other interests. I have promised myself to finish both the Couturiers Chatelaine and the Mamluk purse in the next couple of months.

So for now it is back to the sorting, disposing, downsizing, planning and packing as we hope to depart for the U.K. in early August. So much to do …..