Royal School of Needlework qualified Hand Embroidery Tutor

Repair, Conserve Learn
What's on? Experiencing Embroidery My beautiful studio in Lancaster Castle is a great place to come and learn, get great embroidery support, and sew with like minded creatives. Check out my stitching groups for more details. Experiencing Embroidery
Repair and Conserve Samplers are a real area of expertise; they have so much family history invested in them. I've worked on examples from the 18th to the 20th Century. I love bringing them back to 'life'. Repair and Conserve Bi-weekly Thursday Embroidery Group @Lancaster Castle 7th September 2023 - 6th Jan 2028 Every other Thursday - The Studio Lancaster Castle Bi-weekly Thursday Embroidery Group @Lancaster Castle Weekly Wednesday Afternoon Embroidery Group @Lancaster Castle 6th September 2023 - 5th Jan 2028 Wednesday Afternoon, Lancaster Castle Weekly Wednesday Afternoon Embroidery Group @Lancaster Castle Weekly Tuesday Afternoon Embroidery Group @Lancaster Castle 5th September 2023 - 4th Jan 2028 Tuesday Afternoon Lancaster Castle Weekly Tuesday Afternoon Embroidery Group @Lancaster Castle

Sara Dennis - RSN Tutor

During three years of training at the Royal School of Needlework on the Future Tutor's Programme not only did I become expert in all hand embroidery techniques but I also taught a wide variety of classes, undertook commissions and exhibited my work. I really enjoy teaching and have taught embroidery at The Victoria and Albert Museum, The British Library and the Royal Free Hospital in London, Brewery Arts in Kendal and Williamsburg in the USA. Currently I run an Embroidery Group in Kendal, and have classes programmed at the Royal School of Needlework in London and Lancaster Castle. I also provide private lessons in my studio in Lancaster Castle. Recently I've also taken up a role as an expert on BBC One's The Repair Shop.

I love hand embroidery and working with people to enhance their enjoyment, this means I'm busy teaching and filming. My programme is always changing so why not bookmark my Events Page to keep up, or visit my facebook page for updates about upcoming courses and classes. If there isn’t something there to suit you I am very flexible so if you have an idea for a commission, or you need some help with a restoration (even if you’re just stuck!), or would like me to run an event then drop me a line and I will be glad to help.

More About Sara

Ain't nothing finer than trimmin' & steamin your pompoms on a Sunday night! Thank you for a fantastic day :-)

Pom Pom Day Class Student Lancashire

Rebecca

I absolutely loved this class Sara! Your instruction was excellent and the kit is beautiful. I have attempted this technique before, but you really made it click for me. Many thanks, I hope I will be able to take another class from you again soon.

Student on Silk Shading Viola Course at Hampton Court

Mary Robinson Cohen

The sampler arrived back safely today and I want to say a massive thank you... it looks incredible. If I'd been on the Repair Shop there would have been tears when I saw it. There were here.

19th Century Sampler Repair and Conservation, Private Client

Laura Mortimer

Just wanting to say thank you so much for the beautiful restoration of my sampler - it’s made such a difference to it & looks wonderful.

1825 Sampler Restoration

Angela

"Just to say how much I enjoyed the workshop on Friday. Brilliant. You are an excellent tutor and I have finished the lavender bag"

Kantha Day Class student

Janet

"The sampler is AMAZING!! It looks so clean and so much better. The mount is a subtle green and it looks perfect, you were right of course. Thank you so much for your work. I can now pass it on to future generations in a better state than how I received it and it's all thanks to you."

Private Client, Sampler Conservation

Rachel

Sara thank you for all your help along the way. It would be a pale shadow of this piece without your advice.

Royal School of Needlework Student

Julian

Sara-Jane is a breath of fresh air taking traditional techniques and adding her own unique twist with designs for kits that have you looking twice astounded at her unique creative approach. Her relaxed teaching style instantly makes students feel relaxed and her passion for hand embroidery is evident in all she does.

Education Administrator Royal School of Needlework

Noleen Wyatt-Jones

I recently attended a day class at Lancaster with Sara Dennis and it was such an inspiring and enjoyable day. Thank you for providing such an opportunity and please will you provide further opportunities for keen embroiderers in the North West to attend such events in future.

Student on RSN@Lancaster Course

Hilary Cresswell

Thank you so much for sorting out our ceremonial rug! It looks a billion times better! Without you I honestly don’t think we would have been able to get the rug repaired in time for our colours parade. So for that I really do thank you!

Parachute Regiment Pony Major

Corporal Jamie Richards

This 'branching out' by the RSN is fabulous and everyone who attended yesterday said the same thing. It gives us the opportunity to support an important national organisation.

The course itself was excellent and how lovely to have a local tutor. Sara was very relaxed and made us so welcome. She explained everything very well and I feel as if I learnt a great deal.

Student on RSN@Lancaster Course

Anna Watson

Sara! I am searching the interwebs for inspiring quotes to write in my daughter's teacher's card for Teacher Appreciation Week, and I found one that instantly made me think of you: "Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher". (Japanese Proverb). I was so lucky to get not ONE but EIGHT days with you SUCH a great teacher!

Washington DC USA

Erin

I had a wonderful day and a Pom Pom tassel too! Thank you so much for teaching us.

Lancashire

Angela

Inspirational work, beautiful! As a beginner embroiderer it has inspired me to try silk shading and tapestry shading as such beautiful results. I hope to take a course or workshop with you soon so will keep an eye out for dates.

Sara-Jane is a fabulous teacher. Instructions were clear, she had patience for us all and given that Whitework is not an easy technique to get to grips with, I left feeling enthused and able to continue with what I had learnt. The day went in a flash with a happy balance of instruction and lively banter which is exactly what I feel these classes should be all about. Thank you for the class - brilliant and highly recommended!

We inherited an old family sampler from 1772 that was in poor condition - dirty and in a broken frame. Sara was very helpful and did a wonderful job cleaning and mounting the sampler and having it framed, all done very quickly and to the highest professional standard (and at a reasonable cost). It now looks quite splendid and will hopefully last another 250 years. Overall we could not be more pleased with the result.

Christopher Nugee

I really enjoyed your talk last Saturday, as did many of our members - so much so that they are thinking of dropping in on your studio, as you very kindly gave the invitation to do so.

Lancaster

Sue - Lancaster Textile Group

The Techniques of Hand Embroidery

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