January 2026

Hey lovely stitchers!

Firstly a big "Welcome" to all my new subscribers!

This month feels really long, so grab a cup of tea, get comfy, and you'll see why.

I have chosen to return to using my website blog for my newsletter instead of Substack. I initially hoped Substack would attract more subscribers, but the only new subscribers came directly from my website. With these third-party platforms, you often have to pay to gain benefits, and eventually, they might switch to a subscription model, which I want to avoid for you all. There is another reason which I will go into a bit further down.

I aim to create a collaborative community, which is why I'm reverting back, allowing you to leave comments. Eventually, I might establish a dedicated space for community discussions. If you have a general embroidery question you'd like me to address in my next newsletter, or if you've completed one of my kits, I'd love to feature it! I'm eager to include a regular student showcase section. Just reply or message me on social media. Feel free to share your ideas and events with me—my inbox is always open!

Up coming Classes

In case you missed my Instagram posts these are my next two classes, there are still spaces on both.

Just as an extra incentive, if you join my Blackwork Class I will bring my Blackwork portrait, May Day, for this class only!

I've also reworked the sample for my Monogram class with the new fabric and updated materials.

What's Been Happening at Fairy Wren

Unfortunately, none of my proposals for summer classes were accepted, the joys of being a freelancer! In the personal section below, I'll show you what I created. Although I typically don't make samples just for fun, this year's brief required finished pieces and enabled me to explore techniques I wouldn't usually create. I was content with the time investment because these were all projects I was wanted to make anyway.

Moving forward, the RSN is implementing changes not only in how we make submissions but also in how our kits purchased. I understand the reason for the change, but it means I need to adjust my business to maintain financial viable. As a result, I will probably offer fewer classes with the RSN next year. I view this as an opportunity to focus more on both my artistic practice and to develop more of my own long-term classes instead of just short courses.

I have also started teaching on the PET programme and Jacobean C&D online which I hope will lead to more teaching across the C&D subjects. My first sessions have gone very well and my students have developed some lovely designs from already strong ideas.

Starting this summer, the RSN will no longer purchase all my kits. Although they plan to provide numbers well in advance and I can see numbers online, this won't necessarily reduce the number of kits I produce due to wholesale minimums. In some cases, I need to order materials eight weeks before classes to ensure availability and time for posting the online class kits. I also need to have enough time around other commitments to assemble the kits, which is not a quick process. Therefore, to accommodate last-minute bookings, I will need to prepare the full number of kits unless the demand is very low. As a result, class booking kits will be slightly more expensive to cover my costs. However, if you choose not to join a class but still want a kit, I will create a waitlist for leftover kits, which I will offer at a reduced price exclusively for Newsletter subscribers. This is why I moved back from Substack, as Wix allows me to send these emails just to you rather than as a blog post, ensuring only my wonderful subscribers benefit.

Here's some better news: my new class with the ECA is now being advertised. Unfortunately, due to the constantly changing tariff situation in the US and EU regulations, this class is only available to those based in Canada. If you're in the UK and interested in joining, let me know, and I will contact the organizer to see if we can add a UK postage option.

Help me create the classes you’re excited to learn!

📢If you have any ideas of what you want to see me offering just leave a comment or Email me directly, I would love to hear from you.

Email Emma

Thank you, Jane, for suggesting a Goldwork Flower design, I do have a Goldwork and Stumpwork Iris class scheduled for this year. Unfortunately, due to high gold prices, I won't be developing more Goldwork classes right now. My supplier switched to price enquiry after Christmas, forcing me to absorb a 25% price increase for this year's classes, which are already on sale. I can't continue absorbing these costs, but cancelling would eliminate my teaching income.

If you're interested in a Goldwork class, I recommend booking soon as spots are filling quickly, and they won't run again until prices stabilize. The same applies to kits on my website; they won't be restocked until prices settle, and they'll be a lot more expensive.

Limited stock

Goldwork Strawberries

£35.00

Buy Now

Personal

I'm quite disappointed that the Cherry Blossom Moth, the first project, wasn't chosen. I've been eager to try whole cloth/hand quilting in the frame for some time, this seemed like the perfect project to pair with ice dyeing.

They liked the ice dyeing element, but the other parts of the project didn't align with the other tutors proposals. They are choosing classes that fit together cohesively, which makes sense. I was asked to re-think the ice dyeing class as they felt the book cover part of the project wouldn't appeal and to make it an experimental stitch class. I felt the need for a made project was down to the time the ice takes to melt and needing something to do in the mean time, book binding was suggested by the brief but this is not something I have experience in doing let alone teaching.

I did think about re-designing it but to be honest its not really my style, its also more time and cost as everything in these classes was mostly all from my stash and intended as no kit classes. An experimental class still requires a kit to make sure everyone has the right materials which means using materials such as beads and threads which can be purchased in bulk for the kits. This means a cost to me with no guarantee it will still be selected. So, I'd rather focus on what I truly want to do; life's too short not to pursue what we love.

The other classes were: Sashiko, English paper piecing; bring your own project, Digital Fabric design, Lace Snake bookmark and a Thread case with big stitch quilting.

I might have been a bit cheeky by featuring my husband's self-published short story books (under a pen name) in the promotional photos, as copyright restrictions prevent me from using other books. However, since it's relevant, why not take advantage of it? The books are excellent and available on Amazon. He has created all the covers and illustrations himself, except for the cat, which was his first one. Since then, he's shifted his approach to deliberately avoid using AI in his cover art, and no AI is involved in the writing either. With the increasing use of AI there is a real need to keep the human connection, his artwork is wonderful too so it makes sense.

Artistic Practice

Unfortunately there's not much to share here as I decided to work on summer series proposals instead, a mistake perhaps in hindsight so it continues take a back seat. I have a very busy first few months of this year but I have nothing currently in the diary from July 😞so this can then be prioritised along side some longer classes and concentrating on getting my webstore set up with more items.

I have applied for a place at the Makers space 2026 at Decorex interior design show with QEST in the hopes of work live on my portrait while showcasing Embroidery as a heritage craft as well as potential networking and finding prospective owners for my work. Keep everything crossed for me!

I can give you a sneak peek at an element I have drawn to add to the design, this will be recreated 12 times over the design. I'm trying to decide if I should make these as detached Stumpwork feathers with a sepia coloured silk in a blackwork pattern or to stitch them in place. I think they might have more impact if they are detached.