Five Day Passementerie Masterclass with Elizabeth Ashdown
| Location: Hampton Court Palace | |
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Techniques: Passementerie Weaving, Tassel Making |
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Duration: 5 days. 10am-4pm |
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Course Description
Discover the art of Passementerie in this immersive five-day Masterclass with Passementerie artist and heritage craft specialist Elizabeth Ashdown. One of the rarest textile crafts practised in the UK today, Passementerie is the art of creating decorative braids, trimmings, tassels, fringes, rosettes and other embellishments traditionally used across interiors, fashion, millinery, jewellery and decorative arts. Now listed as an endangered craft in the UK, this course offers a rare opportunity to spend five days exploring its techniques with one of the country’s few remaining specialist makers. You will learn a range of traditional Passementerie skills and explore how they can be used to create colourful, contemporary pieces with texture, pattern and character. Across the five days, Elizabeth will introduce you to techniques including hand weaving, tassel making, rosette making, covered drops and traditional cord spinning, guiding you through the specialist tools, materials and processes involved in each. You will have time to develop your skills, experiment with colour and materials and understand how individual Passementerie elements are constructed and finished. Alongside learning the traditional methods behind the craft, you will explore how these techniques can be adapted and reimagined for contemporary textile work. By the end of the Masterclass, you will have created a collection of handmade Passementerie pieces and developed the knowledge and confidence to continue experimenting with these specialist techniques in your own creative practice.
What you will need to bring
All of the specialist materials and equipment required for the course will be provided for you. You will need to bring a pair of dressmaking or fabric scissors, as well as an apron or overshirt to protect your clothing when working with glue – alternatively, please wear something you don’t mind getting a little messy. We also recommend bringing a notebook and pen for making notes throughout the course. And if you have a favourite mug, feel free to bring it along for your refreshment breaks!
Tutor Biography
Elizabeth Ashdown
Elizabeth is one of only a few practising hand passementerieartists in the UK. She combines traditional craft withcontemporary design to create innovative trims, tassels, andfringes. Her award-winning work has won Best Decorative Touchat the Living Etc Style Awards 2025 and Trim of the Year at the2025 Homes & Gardens Design Awards. She designed themultiple award-winning Kaleidoscope collection for Samuel &Sons.Based in London, Elizabeth creates bespoke passementerie forinterior designers, fashion designers, and milliners, and developswall-based artworks using her signature techniques. She’s theauthor of Passementerie: Handcrafting Contemporary Trimmings,Tassels, Fringes and More and holds an MA in Textiles from theRoyal College of Art.A passionate educator, Elizabeth teaches PassementerieMasterclasses online and in person, and was awarded the QueenElizabeth Scholarship Trust ADAM Architecture Scholarship in2023.
Important Venue Information
Please note this is an in-person class at Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey KT8 9AU.
On Arrival
Access to Hampton Court Palace is security controlled. Access to the Palace grounds is only available via the main Palace gate (Trophy Gate) - this is the large gate closest to Hampton Court Bridge. Access is currently not available via other gates. On arrival, walk down the drive to the Palace itself and then around the left-hand (north) side of the building until you see the vehicle security barrier and the entrance to the Security Office.
There will be a member of staff to meet you outside the Security Office at 9.45am to escort you to the classroom. You will be issued a visitor pass - please make sure that you wear this and that it is visible at all times.
Accessibility
Hampton Court Palace dates back to the 14th Century. The main RSN classrooms are on the 3rd floor which can be accessed by the Chocolate Court Stairs in Fountain Court, whilst the other classroom has an additional six steps in order to access it. The palace is very old and the walk to our classrooms may have uneven surfaces, for example cobbles, worn steps, uneven steps and slopes. Please choose footwear that is comfortable and appropriate for the conditions. Some surfaces may be slippery, particularly if they are wet from rain. There is a lift available for acces from Fountain Court to the RSN apartments but access is prioritised for those with mobility issues.
Breaks and Lunchtime
Refreshments will be provided in the morning. You may take your lunch break in our break room or within the Palace gardens. Please bring a packed lunch and drink with you as there are only two sets of Palace facilities and there are likely to be lengthy queues at lunchtime. Please remember to wear your pass at all times.
Access to toilets
There two upstairs toilets will be available, Additional toilet facilities are available in Fountain Court.
Staff
The RSN Education Team are not onsite at the weekend so please do not expect to see any on your visit, if you need to speak with or contact a member of the team please email education@royal-needlework.co.uk in the first instance.
Materials
Your kit will be ready for you in the classroom. Any additional equipment will be available to purchase or borrow from the RSN on the day. It is useful to bring a notepad and pen, a thimble if you use one and a pair of sharp, favoured embroidery scissors.
RSN Shop
The shop is located on the ground floor next to the East Front Gate and will be open between 11am-4pm. We do have a 'click and collect' pickup service option if you wish to order anything from the shop in advance and pick it up when you attend for your class. This option is available at the Online Shop checkout. Please note that five working days notice must be given to use the shop pickup service.
Photography
You may take photographs of your own work in progress, or of other students’ work with their permission. Photography of work on the walls or any RSN collection pieces is not permitted in any area of the RSN. From time to time we may wish to take photographs of your class and work in progress for publicity material to be used on-line and in print. If you would prefer not to be included in these photographs please let us know.
Checklist BEFORE you Leave Home
[ ] HCP Pass – if you have one
[ ] Embroidery Scissors
[ ] Pen and paper
[ ] Drink and packed lunch
Five Day Passementerie Masterclass with Elizabeth Ashdown
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