2025 Embroidery Retreats are available to book now!
Free shipping to the UK when you spend over £80* exclusions apply
Courses
Goldwork Courses, Embroidery Holidays, and classes
At Golden Hinde we offer a range of Courses and Classes throughout the year suitable for all abilities from Embroidery holidays to regular classes day classes at our dedicated studio. We can also arrange to come to you.
Our Resident Tutor
Sarah Rakestraw is Golden Hinde’s resident Goldwork and Embroidery tutor, and is also recommended Embroiderers Guild tutor. Sarah has been teaching classes and courses for over 20 years, she is very patient and encouraging.
Sarah teaches our regular Goldwork classes which are held fortnightly in our dedicated studio. We also teach on our embroidery Retreats which are held in Cheshire 3 times a year. In 2024 we launched our online academy so we can teach projects to those people who can not travel to events or classes.
You can find more information about classes and Embroidery retreats and our online Academy below
Golden Hinde Courses
Embroidery Holidays/Retreats
We offer 3 retreats a year held in the beautiful Cheshire countryside, at our dedicated retreat centre. We offer a different project for each retreat, but we are also happy for you to do your own project. Find out more information below.
Golden Hinde Embroidery Academy
Our Embroidery Academy was launched at the very end of 2023 and officially launched in early 2024, we offer online courses small projects, Live stitch sessions and long term projects all exclusive to members. Content is added on a regular basis, you can become a full member or starting in summer 2024 non members can join selected projects
Our Regular In-Person Classes
Golden Hinde run regular fortnightly goldwork embroidery classes at our studio in Warrington. Classes are run on Monday’s and Tuesday’s 10-4. These classes do need to be booked in advance and you must commit to 9 classes. In addition to Goldwork we do incorporate other embroidery techniques, such as stump work, silk shading, needle weaving. If you are interested in joining us please contact us directly for more information. or book your place here
Day Classes
We hold various day classes throughout the year at our Warrington Studio, and online via our Golden Hinde Embroidery Academy, this is a great way to start your Goldwork/embroidery journey or improve your existing skills. It is also a great chance to be taught by one of the best tutors in the business.
Check our shop page for classes that are available and more information Embroidery Courses we are running
Kits and Embroidery projects
We have a range of kits to suit all tastes and abilities. They also make great gifts for any embroiderer. Our new Golden Hinde Embroidery Academy is a great way to stitch exclusive embroidery projects from the comfort of your own home with a community of like minded individual to support you along the way.
Find our kits clicking the button to the right.
More information about The Embroidery Academy can be found above.
Guest Tutors
Occasionally we organise for a guest tutor to take our classes, to teach other embroidery techniques other than Goldwork.
We have had many guest tutors joining us, with many being RSN tutors or tutors who are renowned experts in there field. in the past we have had Nicola Jarvis teaching Whitework; Jen Goodwin teaching Blackwork; Sara Rickards teaching Tambour work; Kate Barlow teaching Silk Shading; Toni Watts teaching Illuminated Letters, and Tanya Bentham teaching Opus Anglicanum. When we organise guest tutor classes these will become available to book on our website, we will also add details to our social media pages and in our newsletters.
We have also had guest tutors and speakers on our Embroidery retreats, on our White Rabbit retreat we had Maria Livesey teaching Felting for a day and we had a wonderful speaker who was an expert in Lewis Carroll.
Our regular class attendees do get first refusal on places, however, we do allow others to attend on a first come first served basis. You would need to book you place on a guest class directly with us.
Goldwork Courses with Sarah Rakestraw
Designs will be supplied by the tutor.
All levels can be taught individually, choose from the following options or contact us for more details.
Level 1 Introductory techniques for goldwork embroidery – Application of Jap, Passing thread, Bright Check, Smooth Purl, Pearl Purl and Leather.
Level 2 Advanced techniques 1 – Basket weave and purls over string.
Level 3 Advanced techniques 2 – Or Nue techniques
The Goldwork embroidery courses can be run as individual one off classes.
We offer day courses for groups of 5-18 these courses all need to be pre-booked and 2-3 dates need to be provided to us. If you are an individual interested in these courses it maybe worth contacting your local Embroiderers guild or sewing group to see if they would be interested in arranging a course with Golden Hinde.
Our courses are tailored to fit the requirements of the individuals, but the following options have been the most popular. During a class, we will cover the use of Jap and its many facets, the use of most wires in Goldwork Embroidery and an introduction to new threads. You will be taught the applications and techniques of Goldwork embroidery and produce a sample or piece by the end of the course dependent on the course type and length. The courses cater for beginners to expert, our aim is to encourage an enthusiasm for the array of techniques of this special craft.
Please check the calendar on the website for potential availability, and provide us with us with 2 or 3 date options and we will try our best to accommodate. Please note that we do have commitments already in place and it is not always possible for us to come to you.
Goldwork Embroidery Courses
We have several options for Type 1 including; heirloom in a day, Apples and Pears, Stars and Flowers or shells and circles. These are one day courses where you can learn the basic techniques and complete a design.
Type 2 is a an extension to the type 1 courses so is more advanced with more difficult techniques such as basket weave
Designs are supplied by the tutor.
We have a variety of kits available and each individual can choose a kit and work it within the class, as the techniques learnt are within each kit. Or your own design can be worked, this needs to be sent in advance of the course.
Mirror course, this is a 3 day course which is usually run on a fortnightly basis. We have already worked four example mirrors, on which your design can be based on or your own design can be worked.
How will I learn?
Through demonstration of techniques followed by discussion and practical workshop with tuition.
Who is the course aimed at?
Anyone with basic sewing skills through to the competent embroiderer.
All our courses can be adapted to suit the group, please contact us directly with you requirements.
Courses can also be arranged on a one to one teaching basis for individuals working on their own project, wanting to learn new techniques or that would like inspiration.