Nik Ravenscroft Embroidery

01/10/2026

Last Saturday's Zoom Bayeux Stitch workshop - the splendid Romford Embroiderers... Such a great bunch of people, and very talented! Looking forward to seeing the finished results 😄

03/07/2026

(One thing as well - why do messages not show up on this page? If you've sent me one, I apologise).

Getting kits ready for a couple of weeks - destination the shop at Norwich Castle Museum!

15/05/2026

Steve Miller, Director of Culture and Heritage, Head of Norfolk Museums Service, Head of Norfolk Arts Service, Lead Director of Community Services has just posted this:

I am delighted to share the news that Norwich Castle: A Royal Palace Reborn won Restoration or Conservation Project of the Year at the prestigious Museum + Heritage Awards last night in London. These global awards celebrate the very best in the world of museums, galleries, and cultural and heritage visitor attractions and this year’s winners in the 19 categories reflect the diversity and excellence of the sector, particularly in the UK.

The awards received a record number of entries in 2026 and were chosen by an independent panel of nine judges. They were looking for projects that enhance public access whilst ensuring important historical objects and buildings have been safeguarded for the future, so much credit is due to the fantastic project team. Huge congratulations to them and to all of you – this award is recognition for the hard work that went into the restoration of the Castle, and testament to the dedication that you all bring to your work at Norfolk Museums Service.

The judges said: "A six-year restoration of a nationally significant Norman keep that has not only preserved an extraordinary building but fundamentally reimagined how people experience it. From accessible roof battlements to a community-made tapestry, it is bold, joyful and deeply ambitious."


- A fabulous result , and lovely to know that the tapestry made a contribution!!

17/12/2025

A Christmas card from the Norwich Castle Museum... nice to see this clip again! https://youtu.be/EIrReTSi4UU

And yes, there will be kits! They've been approved and I'm getting set up (heaps of boxes, wool etc everywhere) for a launch (along with other tapestry-related stuff) some time in the New Year. Very exciting!

🧵7 years in the making and over 19 metres long, The Norwich Friends' Tapestry is an achievement of epic proportions. Installed in the Great Chamber in the K...

25/11/2025

Some photos from last week's talk... Thank you to Anne Guyon and Mim!

21/11/2025

Lovely afternoon yesterday with the Norfolk and Suffolk Weavers, spinners and dyers! A very welcoming group of people and some lovely pre-talk chat over a cup of tea (or two). They were also very gracious about my talk over-running, and I loved the fact that when I burbled happily about the minutiae of threads and wool and embroidering, there were nodding heads in the audience...
As the Tapestry project has gone on, the talk about it has grown. I have to do some pruning now that it has ended!

30/08/2025

The castle's evening celebration for the volunteers was a lot of fun - and I got to sit in the throne, too..😉

The whole thing is rather fine, with an excellent light show, a British Museum partnership gallery on medieval life and so much colour in the furnishings and the fittings. For the first time, you can go up to the top of the Keep and see out over Norwich. It's fully accessible, too, right to the top.

If you haven't visited yet, perhaps put this on your list of Places To See....

30/08/2025

That's weird - the post I put up has not appeared...

Well, it's done...It's finished!! After almost 8 years of work, a lot of stitches, a multitude of meetings and a lot of problems solved, the Norwich Friends' Tapestry is hanging in the newly refurbished castle keep!

We measured it when we finished 'snagging'; it is 64 feet, or 19.67 m long and weighs - quite a lot!

21/01/2025

Hurrah! The Norwich Castle have now surrendered and handed over their weapons... Only Emma handing over the key to do 😉

20/01/2025

Here's a lovely finished brooch from last week's workshop - and the embroiderer was kind enough to say "Thank you for a lovely and inspiring workshop and definitely one which doesn’t languish unfinished, a pleasure to complete, with excellent instructions and possible to finish within a comfortable time frame." Wow - and I didn't pay her anything, promise!

I love the way she has spaced the gold purl about the centre and the colour choices are beautiful...