May Morris: Maids of Honour

Deborah Wilding
Advanced

Explore the beauty of Arts and Crafts embroidery with renowned textile tutor and artist Deborah Wilding. Inspired by May Morris's exquisite Maids of Honour design, this course offers a wonderful opportunity to recreate a historic embroidery with the guidance and support of Deborah throughout your stitching journey.

Working from a printed design, you can choose to embroider in beautiful silks or traditional crewel wools, creating your own interpretation of this remarkable piece.

September 2027

Six monhtly sessions

Crewel Work

May Morris: Maids of Honour
About the Original Embroidery

May Morris: Maids of Honour

The “Maids of Honour” design was created by May Morris, the daughter of William Morris and a pioneering figure in the Arts and Crafts movement. May Morris was celebrated for her exceptional talent as a designer and embroiderer, and her work helped to redefine the role of women in the decorative arts.

This particular design, “Maids of Honour,” is notable for its graceful depiction of a central rose bush with corner swans, entwined by intricate floral motifs and flowing lines characteristic of the Arts and Crafts style. It embodies May’s signature approach—combining historical inspiration with a fresh, naturalistic sense of composition and colour.

“Maids of Honour” stands as a testament to May Morris’ enduring legacy and her contribution to the revival of traditional embroidery techniques.

About this course

During a series of classes, Deborah will guide you through creating your own interpretation of the exquisite May Morris: Maids of Honour, exploring the beauty of the original design while introducing a rich variety of traditional embroidery stitches.

  • Learn about May Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement, and explore the history and design behind the original embroidery.

  • Expand your stitch repertoire by learning a variety of traditional embroidery techniques beyond the simple darning stitch used in the original.

  • Develop confidence in your embroidery as you explore texture, colour and stitch to bring this beautiful design to life.

  • Enjoy a group experience, forming friendships with like-minded stitchers from around the world.

  • Create your own embroidered heirloom, inspired by one of May Morris’s beautiful designs.

  • Enjoy the mindful, meditative process of embroidery while developing your skills and creativity.

Advanced

Suitable for students with advanced experience of embroidery

This advanced course is designed for experienced embroiderers with a good understanding of traditional embroidery techniques. Experience working with a slate frame is also required.

Shop all Kits
Advanced

Course Schedule

Dates & Times

Classes take place on Saturdays at 3-5pm and 6-8pm (UK time)

11 September 2027 – Framing Up (1 hour class)
30 October 2027
20 November 2027


Christmas Break
December 2027 (date TBC) – Special Lecture

22 January 2028
26 February 2028

Easter Break
March 2028 (date TBC) – Special Lecture

22 April 2028
27 May 2028
2 July 2027 – Cut Work (Border Areas)


Break to Complete Stitching

22 July 2028 – Follow Up Support Session (1 hour class)

What's Included

Embroidery Tuition with Deborah

During six online sessions, Deborah will guide and support you as you create your own interpretation of May Morris's exquisite Maids of Honour design.

The original embroidery is worked almost entirely in darning stitch, a simple running stitch that allows the beauty of the composition and its flowing motifs to take centre stage. Deborah will introduce you to the technique at the beginning of the course before providing ongoing guidance and support as you work through the design.

You will have the choice of two beautiful embroidery options, allowing you to explore the design in the materials that appeal to you most.

Whether you choose the delicate sheen of silk embroidery or the traditional character of crewel wool, this is an opportunity to spend time with a beautiful historic design, develop your confidence and enjoy the pleasure of stitching with the support of an experienced tutor.

The Kit

Your kit includes the printed design, carefully selected embroidery threads, stitch charts and supporting materials. You can choose between two beautiful combinations of fabric and thread:

Option 1: Silk Embroidery

The design is printed onto fabric and embroidered using a rich combination of Smokey Purple silk from James Hare and delicate Au Ver à Soie silks.

Option 2: Crewel Wool Embroidery

The design is printed onto Ulster Weavers linen twill, ready to be brought to life with the soft texture and beautiful colours of Appletons crewel wools.

A Shared Experience

A wonderful outcome of our long courses is the connection that evolves between students. During this course, you will have access to our new private community space, which is accessible directly from your dashboard.

On this platform, you will be able to:

  • Ask questions and troubleshoot with your tutor
  • Chat with fellow students and share progress
  • Access the live sessions and subsequent recordings
  • Check for updates from the tutor and the CWC team

More to Explore

Additional Embroidery Kits

After the course is complete, we will release two additional embroidery kits inspired by details from the Maids of Honour design.

Featuring the beautiful corner bird and central rose motifs, both designs have been interpreted by Deborah using long and short stitch, offering another opportunity to explore the intricate details of May Morris's original composition.

More details will be announced closer to the release.

“The quality of the materials and the live classes is astounding. Worth every penny. It feels like you are creating an heirloom.”
0 Seats left

Meet Your Tutor

Deborah Wilding

Professional Embroidery tutor and Fellow of the RSN

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Deborah Wilding is a distinguished embroidery artist. With a background in fine arts, Deborah has developed a keen eye for detail and a deep appreciation for the natural world, which is reflected in her exquisite embroidery designs.
Learn More About Deborah Wilding

You might be wondering

Optional Extras

Optional finishing (as a fixed cover or a chemise) and Book Binding will be available towards the end of this course for an additional fee.

Shipping & Returns

Packages will be sent by tracked and signed delivery for a small fee of £12.95 (approx. USD$19). Please note that packages will be shipped a month before the start of this course.

You may cancel your place up to 6 months before the start of the course. Unfortunately after that time, we cannot refund your payment.