The Story Challenge
The Studio is our membership club for those who want to deepen their creative practice. As a member, you’ll receive The Studio Weekly, our inspiring Friday newsletter, discounted refill kits, and exclusive access to The Studio Shop, featuring one-off and limited-edition designs.
You'll also have the opportunity to join our Communal Challenges, with structured guidance, an exclusive virtual course, and a dedicated creative space. Plus, enjoy Studio Days at our London studio and explore The Archive, a growing collection of past newsletters, craft guides, and discussions.
If you want to make creative practice part of your life or find your own creative voice, The Studio is here for you!
What is the challenge?
Pushing you out of your comfort zone
The Story Challenge is a 12-week creative adventure designed to help you explore storytelling through embroidery. As the weeks go on, you will create your own design based on a story you love, using the colour palette we send and with guidance supporting you along the way. No prior experience is needed—just a willingness to dive in and discover your creative potential!
Twice a year, we run a themed challenge, and this time, it’s all about stories. You’ll receive a curated bundle of materials, access to an exclusive virtual course, and a supportive online community to guide you through the process from idea to finished piece. You’ll be experimenting with composition, translate your design onto fabric, and even hand-paint your own frame to complete your artwork. Most importantly, you’ll be part of a community, sharing the journey, building your confidence and cheering each other on.
If you want to kick start your creativity, or get our of a bit of a rut, this is the perfect challenge for you!
Why would I want to take part?
A 12-week creative adventure
If you’ve ever felt stuck creatively or just wished for a bit more structure and encouragement, this challenge is for you. Here’s why we think you’ll love it:
You’ll gain confidence – Learn to trust your creative instincts and push past self-doubt.
You won’t be alone – Connect with a supportive group of fellow makers, bouncing ideas and sharing progress.
You’ll have a plan – A structured 12-week timeline guides you step by step, making the process approachable and fun.
You’ll experiment & grow – Whether you’re a beginner or experienced, you’ll develop your own style and try new techniques.
You’ll actually finish something – No more abandoned projects! With prompts and accountability, you’ll see your ideas come to life.
This isn’t just about embroidery—it’s about storytelling, creativity, and the magic of making something uniquely yours.
How do I take part?
Sign ups are open now!
The next Story Book Challenge runs from April to June, with sign-ups open to Studio Members throughout March. To take part, simply order one of The Story Challenge Bundles. You’ll choose between two color palettes and two framing styles.
This is the first time running the challenge for all our Studio community so we have a special launch price of £100 (normally £150) as we would love as many people to take part!
Spots are limited as we have sourced some special fabrics for this with only 40 bundles available in each colourway, so don’t wait too long to join in! Once sign-ups close at the end of March, you’ll get access to the Challenge Platform, and the creative journey begins.
How is the challenge structured?
A weekly structure to take a fear out of designing
We’ll walk you through the creative process, one step at a time:
- Week 1: Explore resources, find inspiration & connect with others.
- Week 2: Story Time Doodles – warm-up exercises to loosen up your creativity.
- Week 3: Experiment with design composition using cut-outs & sketches.
- Week 4: Finalize your design & share it with the group.
- Week 5: Learn how to translate your design onto fabric.
- Weeks 6-8: Start stitching! Weekly prompts & community check-ins keep you on track.
- Week 9: Paint your frame to complement your artwork.
- Week 10: Add a motif to your frame for that finishing touch.
- Week 11: Celebrate & share your finished piece!
- Week 12: The challenge wraps up until next time.
What will I get out of the challenge?
A whole lot of creativity for £100
- A bundle of materials – Everything you need, from fabric & threads to frames & paints.
- A structured 3-month plan – Weekly prompts guide you through the design process.
- An exclusive virtual course – 12 videos covering every step, from idea to final piece.
- A private online community – Share progress, ask for advice & connect with like-minded creatives.
- Creative breakthroughs – Whether you’re a beginner or experienced, you’ll push yourself in new ways.
- A completed, framed artwork – Something you’ll be proud to show off!
What We’ve Learned from Past Challenges
This isn’t our first rodeo! Last year, we ran a trial community challenge called The Colour Palette Challenge, where nearly 30 stitchers—ranging from total beginners to seasoned makers—took on a creative brief using surprise materials. The results were nothing short of incredible.
The real magic, though? It wasn’t just about the finished pieces. It was the process—the shared struggles, the breakthroughs, the unexpected moments of confidence-building. Participants supported each other, shared insights, and most importantly, felt less alone in what can sometimes be an intimidating creative journey.
I was in a creative slump for several years, and being part of this has jump-started my artistic and creative passions again. It’s the most important thing that has happened to me this year. I enjoy being part of a community of curious, creative, and like-minded individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from around the globe who share a passion for creating and experimenting. They inspire and energize me to create more!
My cohort is both supportive and inspiring, providing constructive feedback and encouragement on the projects we work on. It truly feels like a genuine friendship community. You can post a question, an idea, or any thought for feedback, and there is always someone ready to respond!
I have discovered within myself a creative fervour I didn't know I had. The resources (motif bank, cut-out library) Eppie has put together are fantastic resources to have if you feel "stuck" somewhere in your creative process but the true gold that this space is truly lies in the access you gain to courses, challenges and a community that encourage and supports you in developing your own creative style.
With the creative challenge forcing me out of my comfort zone, I have started and, most importantly, finished in the space of two months more projects than I did in the last year as a whole.
I’ve always considered myself to be a creative person, and have dabbled with many different outlets for that creativity, but have time and again ended up hitting a wall - self-doubt inevitably creeps in, and I get intimidated and give up. I had become somewhat stagnant, unsure where to go next and lacking motivation and belief in myself.
Being part of this has provided me with so many things; a sense of direction, challenges that help me expand my skills and set achievable goals, an incredibly supportive community to whom I can turn when I have doubts or questions, and endless resources to explore and be inspired by. Eppie and her team help to demystify the concept of ‘creativity’, underscoring how important it is to dedicate yourself to your chosen craft, but in a manageable and realistic way. I have found this instrumental for the continuation of my creative journey. This platform has reignited my desire to create, pushing me to try new things outside of my comfort zone and revel in the unexpected results.
