Moving forward to the next adventure .. an update.

My own Studio

Having returned to Australia in February 2023, I am have been working through the process of establishing my own Embroidery Studio, which will also be the Royal School of Needlework – Australian Satellite. This will be located in Brisbane, Australia.

Finding suitable premises has taken some time, as I was looking for a venue sufficient space and without too many steps. Having to carry my embroidery supplies up and down the staircases at Hampton Court Palace certainly taught me that fewer steps would be very desirable. For some time it seemed like everyone else was looking in the limited real estate market for the same type of building however we eventually did find a lovely house that came with a ground floor studio complete with its own entrance. The studio is now gradually coming together in the leafy suburb of Kalinga in Brisbane, Australia.

It is a lovely light filled space.

Furnishing fun

Before returning to Australia I spent some time visiting the studios of other Embroiderers. What fun that was and many thanks to those wonderful friends who let me peek through their cupboards, shelves, racking, boxes etc. There are so many ways to tackle the problem of lots of ‘stuff’ and not enough space!

I decided to start furnishing the studio with a couple of height adjustable tables, thinking that this would allow me to raise them to standing height when I wanted a higher work bench, and lower to regular table height for classes. Padded chairs have been added, and the air conditioning unit will be installed next week. I am now searching for a woodworker to build some sturdy wooden trestles. Storage and bookshelves are the next highest priority – so many options….

Where are my boxes!

The biggest hurdle to getting established has been the wait for our boxes to arrive by ship from the U.K. These boxes contain all of the embroidered pieces that I worked during my time in the U.K. and I am hoping to display some of these on the studio walls. Additionally there the books and various supplies that I had sourced so that I could set up and work effectively in the studio.

As I write this post the boxes have actually arrived in Australia but have not yet managed to emerge from the Customs and Quarantine process, with no firm delivery dates given. I have had to limit myself to merely setting up the furniture in the studio while impatiently waiting for the release of these critical boxes.

Other preparations

While I impatiently cope with the delay in getting all of my equipment and supplies into one place, at least I can actually work from the studio now, and the all important tea and coffee station is set up. You will find details of the Studio on my personal website here. Come and visit for a cuppa if you are in the neighbourhood. I am always happy to have a chat about embroidery.

Teaching Dates

In July 2023 I will be teaching online classes in the Australian time zone as part of the Royal School of Needlework – International Summer School. Details of the ISS and my classes can be found in this link. If you find the time zone for the UK based classes does not suit your schedule, then please have a look at these classes as they are offered online in Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) and might suit you better.

RSN Satellite – Australia

I will be teaching RSN Certificate and Diploma subjects in person from the studio, and also offering online RSN Certificate classes. Details of these classes can be found on the RSN website, and the RSN education team are happy to discuss and provide more details.

You can always Contact me directly if you would like to discuss learning embroidery with me, or would like me to teach embroidery at your venue. Beginners are very welcome and I would love to help you start, or move along with, your embroidery journey.