Contemporary Monogramming & Personalisation Course

Location: This course is delivered via Zoom & WhatsApp. Please click here for guides to using Zoom & WhatsApp

Duration: 6 Week Embroidery Course (1 x 2.5 hour session per week for 6 consecutive weeks)

Date: 20th May - 24th June (6:00pm-8:30pm - Wednesdays)

Embroidered monograms and personalised details have always been associated with elegance and individuality. For more than a century, Savile Row tailors have entrusted Hand & Lock with adding initials to their finest garments. Today the tradition continues, with hand stitched monograms appearing on everything from pyjamas and bath robes to wedding gifts, wallets, slippers, gloves and hats. Each set of initials transforms an item into something distinctive and entirely personal.

Join us for a special six week course with our expert tutors at Hand & Lock as we explore the art of monogramming. You will begin by learning the fundamentals of design transfer, working with a wide range of font styles to develop your own approach. From there you will understand the core techniques of thread work monogramming, building precision and confidence as you stitch.

The course also offers an introduction to metal thread monograms, showing you how to incorporate gold and silver threads to create a more decorative finish. Along the way you will refine your skills, learning how to achieve beautifully balanced lettering and crisp, polished stitches. By the end of the course you will have the knowledge and experience to create embroidered monograms that are elegant, refined and entirely your own.

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• All courses are non refundable, if you cannot attend please let us know as soon as possible and we will try to move you to another course.

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This course was created to preserve and share the long tradition of monogramming at Hand & Lock. For over a century our embroiderers have stitched hand sewn initials for Savile Row tailors and private clients, and the demand for personalisation has only grown. From shirts and robes to wedding gifts and accessories, monogramming remains a way to make everyday items unique and personal.

We designed this course to give you the same core skills our embroiderers use in the atelier. You will be introduced to traditional techniques that have been passed down through generations, as well as contemporary approaches that keep the craft relevant today. The aim is to provide a practical foundation so you can carry the tradition of monogramming forward in your own work, whether you want to add initials to garments, create thoughtful gifts, or build bespoke embroidery into your practice.

Monogramming is one of the oldest forms of embroidery. From the start it was used to show ownership and status. In the ancient world rulers and merchants used initials and emblems to mark identity and authority. By the medieval period in Europe royalty and nobility were embellishing garments, linens and personal items so that prized possessions could be recognised and celebrated.

During the Renaissance and Baroque periods monograms became increasingly decorative with ornate lettering crowns and motifs turning them into works of art. In the 18th and 19th centuries they were closely tied to domestic life with fine whitework initials stitched onto trousseaux and household linens often as part of bridal preparations.

By the Victorian age monogramming was a clear symbol of refinement and pride. The practice carried into the 20th century as fashion houses embraced embroidered initials while new machines made it more accessible. Today monogramming continues in many forms from discreet initials on cuffs and collars to bold showcase pieces. It remains a timeless link between personal identity and centuries of embroidery tradition.

• This course will teach you the fundamentals of monogramming and give you the skills to monogram whatever you choose in the future.

• You will begin by building the toolkit you need for the traditional design transfer method of prick and pounce. This ancient technique dates back to Renaissance frescoes and remains one of the most reliable ways to transfer designs onto fabric. You will learn how to create accurate transfers, ensuring your monogram is level and evenly spaced.

• From there you will explore the fundamentals of lettering with stem stitch. You will understand how stitch direction affects the flow of the letter and how to use stem stitch to create elegant forms. You will then develop cursive lettering by combining stem stitch with satin stitch, learning how to blend them seamlessly.

• As the course progresses you will expand your thread repertoire and begin to work with silks. You will learn the differences between cotton and filament silk and prepare a traditional French padded monogram, using split stitch to stabilise the fabric before padding.

• Finally you will enhance your piece with touches of metal thread embroidery, adding a refined decorative finish. By the end of the course you will have a complete foundation in monogramming techniques, giving you the confidence and skills to apply this craft in the contemporary embroidery industry.

All course materials will be sent directly to you. You will need a 10-inch seat frame, or an equivalent embroidery or slate frame, to use during the class. You will also need to provide your own basic embroidery equipment, such as scissors, needle threaders and a daylight lamp, according to your individual needs. For this course, we would encourage you to explore materials including different fabrics and threads to include in your monogramming repertoire.

When you book the course, we will send you our Embroidery Essentials document, which outlines all the tools and equipment you might want to have ready to get the most out of your learning experience.

A recording of each course session will be sent to you within one week of the session. You will then be able to keep and refer to this recording indefinitely.