Craft Sanctuary Embroidery Retreat

Kate grew up in North Wales and originally studied costume at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff and graduated in 2001 with a BA Hons in Theatre Design. Following this she worked as a freelance costume maker at Glyndebourne Festival Opera and then as part of the Touring Wardrobe department at the Welsh National Opera. Kate has always loved hand embroidery and got the stitching bug from her Nan at an early age, so in 2013 she decided to take the plunge and re-train as an embroidery tutor at the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace. Kate graduated from the Future Tutors Programme at the RSN with distinction in 2016. During the course she studied many traditional hand embroidery techniques including goldwork, Jacobean crewel work, blackwork, stumpwork and silk shading. In 2015 Kates Advanced Silk Shaded budgie “Smuggler” was accepted by the Royal Academy of Arts for their annual Summer Exhibition. The piece was also made into a greetings card. Last year Kate filmed the RSNs first online course in silk shading.

Kate loves to design her own embroidery kits, using traditional techniques in a contemporary way. She also likes to combine her embroidery with her love of historical dress, creating kits based on original pieces. Her classes cover all levels of ability, from absolute beginners to more advanced stitchers.

Sarah began a career in embroidery later in life, first taking a City and Guilds Certificate in Embroidery at Missenden Abbey, before embarking on three years of full time study on the Royal School of Needlework’s Future Tutors Programme at Hampton Court Palace. During this time she studied many traditional hand embroidery techniques including goldwork, Jacobean crewel work, blackwork, stumpwork and silk shading, graduating in 2018 with the Eva Stokes Award for Teaching.

As well as working in the Embroidery Studio at the RSN, Sarah has taught for the School in the UK, Ireland and China, as well as at RSN workshops at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Royal Free Hospital in London and at Knit and Stitch Shows at Alexandra Palace and in Dublin. She also had the honour of teaching Her Majesty the Queen of Malaysia when she visited the RSN.

Her work has been exhibited on several occasions at Hampton Court Palace, including at the ‘Lost Dress of Elizabeth I, exhibition in 2019. Her ‘Blackwork Sweete Bag’ was featured in the ‘Jewel in the Hand’ exhibition of early portrait miniatures by Philip Mould and Company at their gallery in Mayfair.

She is the founder of ‘A Silken Thread’ which specialises in producing a range of kits with botanical themes and in offering classes in hand embroidery to groups and individuals with all levels of ability.