Royal School of Needlework announces new collaboration

The Royal School of Needlework (RSN) has announced a new collaboration with The D-Day Story in Portsmouth. The D-Day Story is the only museum in the UK dedicated to the allied landings of Normandy in June 1944, codenamed Operation Overlord. The museum contains the 272-feet Overlord Embroidery, which was stitched by the RSN and tells the story of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.

The work was created by a team of 20 stitchers and took five years to complete, with the final panel finished in 1974. The embroidery consists of 34 panels, each measuring eight feet in length and three feet in height. The entire piece is 41 feet longer than the Bayeux Tapestry and was made using more than 50 different materials. Fabrics from original wartime uniforms were used to create an authentic effect.

The new collaboration will see the Royal School of Needlework teach a series of classes at the museum, each of which is inspired by the original work. Class topics will include appliqué (22nd March), blackwork (24th May) and goldwork (5th July). Each costs £84 plus a kit cost of £25, running from 10:45am until 4:45pm. To make a booking, go to www.royal-needlework.org.uk