Rosemary Drysdale grew up in the north of England. After studying textile design at Durham University, Rosemary emigrated to the United States and worked as an embroidery designer. She was at the forefront of the cross-stitch craze in the 1990s, travelling the world teaching workshops and giving demonstrations. She is recognized as a global expert on blackwork embroidery, as well as a teacher of many other advanced stitching techniques. She lives in East Hampton, New York with her husband.