he Studio at the Royal School of Needlework offers a unique source of expertise and a range of services, specialising in the design and production of new embroideries, together with the conservation, restoration and reproduction of antique pieces. The RSN conducts work for a wide range of clients from individuals to large corporate bodies, the military, livery companies, interior designers, fashion houses, stately homes and places of worship.

he talented and experienced Studio design team offers a bespoke service from the initial design concept through to production of the finished item. Major commissions undertaken by the RSN have included the All Seasons Altar Frontal for Canterbury Cathedral, the 2002 Golden Jubilee Banner for Buckingham Palace, the ceremonial woolsack for the Royal Hospital Chelsea and a pelmet and curtains for the Royal Opera House.

ne of the most demanding works of an ilk in scale with Mme Tixhon’s beautifully illustrated version of Chanson de Roland, is that of the Overlord embroidery which was commissioned by Lord Dulverton as a tribute to, and a permanent record of the effort made by the Allies to liberate Europe during World War II. The Embroidery, which is unique, depicts the Allied Invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944, or Operation Overlord, as was its code name. There are a total of thirty four panels, each 2.43m long and 91cm high, a total of 82.63m in length. This is the largest work of its kind in the world and 12.5m longer than the famous Bayeux Tapestry. Applique work was the form of embroidery used, and it took twenty ladies five years to complete.

o mark the 900^th anniversary of the battle of Hastings, the RSN was commissioned to embroider twenty-seven panels, separately framed, making a total of 13 metres. The panels commence with the Battle of Hastings and follow on with the crowning of William the Conqueror in Westminster on Christmas Day 1066. Other events recorded in these panels include the murder of Thomas a Beckett, the adventures of Robin Hood, Henry VII sending Cabot to America, Henry VIII divorcing Catherine of Aragon, Drake and the Golden Hind, the Mayflower sailing with the Pilgrim Fathers and many other historical landmarks.

o mark the 400^th anniversary of the famous country house Longleat, the Royal School of Needlework was commissioned to produce an embroidery for the Marquis of Bath. The panel is 2.87m high and 2.13m wide. In the centre of the panel is a large beech tree and a romanticised image of the house emerges from the uppermost leaves, whilst at the base of the trunk, standing amidst the wild flowers are the two Supporters of the Bath Coat of Arms, a heraldic stag and the lion of the Thynne family. Much of the embroidery is appliqué in silks, satins and organzas, which have light reflecting qualities that stand out vividly against the dark velvet background, but the real charm of the Longleat Embroidery lies in the artistry with which all the details have been worked, artistry which is the speciality of the Royal School of Needlework.

lthough the Royal School of Needlework is often commissioned to mark these rare moments of history, it is an exciting, forward looking organisation dedicated to keeping the art of hand embroidery alive with excellence in the 21^st Century.