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About Us


Lesley Turpin-Delport

Lesley has a Fine Arts degree and postgraduate teaching diploma and has been an enthusiastic teacher, lecturer and author of art and needlecraft since the early 70’s. She has taught needlecraft in many countries including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, UK, Europe and the U.S.A. Apart from many exhibitions in Johannesburg, she has also exhibited work in Japan, Maastricht and London. Les writes articles regularly for international needlecraft magazines. She is currently working on private commissions on art and art embroidery.

Les currently resides in Knysna, South Africa.

Nikki Delport-Wepener

Nikki is also involved with private embroidery commissions. One really special commission involved creating hand-embroidered screens, which separated an office from a family room!
Nikki moved to Hong Kong in January 2006 and opened Les Designs there. Since then she has continued to teach, exhibit and lecture on freestyle embroidery internationally. She consults and designs for fashion and interior decorators worldwide as a textile artist. Nikki enjoys creating new techniques, integrating Eastern and Western cultures and mastering techniques from bygone eras. Currently Nikki teaches free-style embroidery in Hong Kong. She is a qualified school teacher and certified embroidery artist having trained in free-style embroidery, Royal School of Needlework and City and Guilds. Nikki’s Asian experience includes Chinese double-sided embroidery, bookbinding and Qaipo construction (Chinese dress and button making).

Les Designs

Les Designs has been active for more than 30 years in South Africa and 8 years in Hong Kong. Les Designs produces kits, books and textured threads. An exciting aspect of the range of products from Les Designs is the three-dimensional, free-style hand embroidery and textured threads. Mixing the media allows freedom of expression and the many techniques incorporated are: appliqué, beads, crewel stitches, elevated shapes and wire work, felt work, photo-transfer, ribbon work, textured threads, traditional embroidery, trapunto quilting and the interpretation of inspiration.

Many different types of stitches appear in the books and kits. The needlework products offer simple and advanced designs with many different techniques and varied themes.
‘Les Designs’  offers a wide range of freestyle embroidery kits, creative threads and books. Lesley has written several books.

‘Delicious Embroidery’ their latest book was a joint venture. It mirrors the teaching style they use in their classes. It is a treasure trove of techniques and a rich source of inspiration. Their book "Just Stitch" is available in English and has also been translated into French.