Portugal

Helen McCook is an international textile artist, lecturer, tutor and author of the Royal School of Needlework’s Essential Stitch Guide to Gold Work. She runs her own embroidery school, Traditional Textiles School, and also works commercially under Helen McCook Embroidery. Helen originally trained in printed and dyed textiles with art history before graduating from the Royal School of Needlework apprenticeship in traditional hand embroidery at Hampton Court Palace. She has worked commercially and taught/lectured nationally and internationally since 2000. Helen is a member of the Guild of Master Craftsmen and, in 2019, she won the National Needlecraft Awards Embroidery Designer of the Year. Helen was honoured to be part of the RSN team who helped create the embroidery for the wedding dress, veil and shoes for Katherine Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge’s marriage to HRH Prince William. She was the first artist in residence for the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Her work is in private collections worldwide.

Kate grew up in North Wales and originally studied costume at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff and graduated in 2001 with a BA Hons in Theatre Design.

Crochet and knitting designer, guest presenter, tutor and demonstrator Mandy Cameron turned her hobby into her career and has never looked back. For over a decade, Mandy has been a firm favourite on Create & Craft TV and Yarn Lane TV, demonstrating her skills in crochet and knitting.