Royal School of Needlework

Tulip Festival Embroidery Class

Join us on 25 April 2025 for a one-day RSN Experience event celebrating Hampton Court Palace Tulip Festival and create an exclusive yellow tulip embroidery using surface stitching techniques. 

Your day will begin with a highlights tour of the Tulip Festival with Head Gardener, Graham Dillamore. Prepare to be astonished as over 100,000 tulip bulbs bloom in one of the UK’s largest displays of planted tulips.

Stitch your own tulip motif 

You will then join RSN Tutor, Jessica Ingram, to stitch a beautiful tulip motif. The design features a variety of surface stitches including Chain Stitch, Whipped and Woven Back Stitch, Seeding and Laid Stitch.

Worked in Stranded Cotton on Irish linen, you will also learn how to blend colours in the needle to create subtle shading throughout the design. 

The class kit will include everything you require to complete the project. You may wish to bring your own embroidery scissors, but you will be able to borrow ring frames, scissors and magnifiers (if needed) on the day.

Further information

Please bring a packed lunch and any drinks you may require during the day. We will have a short lunch break at approximately 13:00-13:30. 

You will be able to re-visit the Tulip Festival after your class until the Palace closes at 17:30.

You can explore many more stitches on the RSN Stitch Bank. Learn more about how to join a course at Hampton Court.

Access requirements

For access requirements, please contact Natalie.thew@royal-needlework.org.uk.

Special Display

Tales of Textiles: The RSN Collection in Focus

Join the unmissable exhibition 'Tales of Textiles: The RSN Collection in Focus,' from 25 September 2024 until June 2025. Discover key pieces from the Royal School of Needlework's new Collections website, launched in April 2024.

The RSN will celebrate this launch by curating a fascinating display that showcases many of the first 100 objects that have been digitised and catalogued on the website in this special exhibition.

Experience beautiful Embroidery

The RSN is home to over 10,000 unique and priceless pieces that capture the passion for embroidery throughout history. From intricate hand-embroidered artwork on clothes and textiles, to beautiful designs and the RSN's documented development through papers, books and photos. 

See Fascinating Objects on Display

The exhibition will highlight the life of many of the digitised pieces, providing an opportunity to see them up close and hear their stories. Objects on display will span three centuries and tell a story of wear and use, protection and care, tradition and innovation, and information about stitchers, both domestic and professional. 

Exhibits, collected and donated from all over the world, will include an embroidered mirror frame dated 1653, a Georgian man's waistcoat, and a late 19th century RSN-designed cushion cover.

If you're a Historic Royal Palaces member you may wish to attend an RSN Tour and spend the rest of the day exploring Hampton Court Palace and the gardens. Non-members will need to purchase a ticket if they wish to separately visit the palace and grounds.  

Important Information

The exhibition is open on set days and each session is restricted to a maximum of 15 visitors. Individual, Curator and Group tickets are available, with prices starting from £25 per ticket. The Curator talks at the event will be led by RSN Curator, Isabella Rosner. 

The event will take place in the RSN Embroidery Studio at Hampton Court Palace. Visit the RSN website for further information and to book the exhibition. Early booking is recommended.