Embroidery in Isolation: Royal School of Needlework degree students reflect on the meaning of home in their final major project.

Panel Discussion

Moderated by Amy Hare

Royal School of Needlework (RSN) students are used to being inspired by the opulent surroundings of their studios at Hampton Court Palace, but when the RSN closed due to COVID in 2020, third year undergraduate embroiderers had to pack up their frames and hoops and head back to their family homes. Working in isolation they have found new sources of inspiration for their final major projects as they reflect on their surroundings. From a narrative interpretation of the Cornish landscape, to an exploration of the Soviet era Material Culture in Latvia, working from home has led to our students to taking embroidery in new and exciting directions, despite never venturing far beyond their front door.