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What is Hardanger embroidery?

Hardanger embroidery, also known as Hardangersøm
embroidery from Hardanger), originates from the Hardanger
region of Norway. It is a cutwork embroidery, traditionally
worked in white thread on white evenweave linen fabric.
Many people come to Hardanger embroidery from a
background of cross stitch. Hardanger, like most cross
stitch, is a counted embroidery. Hardanger offers new
challenges to cross stitchers as it has a much wider range
of stitches, and a very different look. While cross stitch is
pictorial, Hardanger is not: its designs are based around
pattern, texture and areas of openwork.

Historical Hardangersøm

The history of Hardanger is unclear, but it is likely that it was
originally created as a "homemade" version of the
needlelaces that were popular in the 1600s and 1700s in
Europe.

Early Hardangersøm was often worked in horizontal bands
in pieces such as aprons and ecclesiastical linen. It had
cutwork in simple shapes such as diamonds and triangles.
These were edged with satin stitch (klosters). They also
used cable stitch, often as a pulled thread stitch. There was
additional satin stitch to decorate, and eyelets (though not in
the centre of kloster block clusters). Along the edges of the
band was usually a section of needleweaving (a long drawn
thread section with hemstitched edges with threads woven
back together in patterns). The entire design usually had
four-sided stitch worked as a pulled thread stitch along the
tops and bottoms of these bands. Examples of work such
as this can be seen at Vesterheim Norwegian American
museum in Decorah, Iowa, and in a Norwegian book
entitled "Hardangersaum" by Gudrun Stuland, (Oslo:
Fabritius & Sonners Forlag, 1960).

Within the parameters described above, there was a large
amount of room for creativity in design. The designs are
hugely varied, and very beautiful. The filling stitches used in
the cutwork needleweaving were very simple - often just
plain woven bars, sometimes with knotted picots, or
diagonal twisted bars.

What has changed in contemporary Hardanger?

The buttonhole edge so common in contemporary
Hardanger did not develop until much later, and it is one of
the main things that has changed hardanger designing.
According to information collected by Lucy Lyons Willis, early
Hardangersøm stitchers never used a stitch like this
because it would have used up too much precious thread.
The buttonhole edge has meant that now Hardanger pieces
can be pretty much any shape you care to have! This is a
large difference from the original bands.

Colour of both thread and fabric is also a major difference
between old and contemporary Hardanger. Historical
Hardanger embroidery was traditionally a whitework
embroidery - using white thread on white fabric.
Contemporary designs sometimes use fabric which is
coloured or thread which is coloured. Often they incorporate
metallic threads, overdyed threads, and beading. The
palette of colours is limited only by one's imagination and
the threads and fabric available. Contemporary Hardanger
sometimes is worked in combination with other techniques
such as cross stitch.

Contemporary Hardanger embroidery is often less intricate
than older pieces, but is used for a much wider range of
applications. Ornaments, cushions, tablecloths,
bookmarks, framed pieces, needlebooks and doilies are all
common applications for contemporary Hardanger.

Learning Hardanger embroidery

The best way to start learning Hardanger embroidery is by
enrolling in a class at a local shop, community college, or
embroiderers' guild, or by using a step-by-step instruction
book such as "Hardanger Basics and Beyond" by Janice
Love, or "Elegant Hardanger Embroidery" by Yvette Stanton.
There are also basic instructions to be found at some
Hardanger focussed websites.

Hardanger is a great way to move further into embroidery,
such as from an introduction of cross stitch, which is where
many people first encounter the wonderful world of
embroidery. With its elegant cutwork designs, Hardanger is
a beautiful style of embroidery for stitchers to explore. Why
not try it today?

Yvette Stanton http://www.hardanger.how.to Author of "Elegant Hardanger Embroidery" and "Mountmellick Embroidery: Inspired by Nature" Yvette Stanton is passionate about historical styles of embroidery, particularly whitework. She enjoys doing embroidery, learning about embroidery, teaching embroidery and writing about embroidery. Hardanger has always been a particular favourite. To learn more about Yvette's books, designs, classes, products and her embroidery tips, sign up for her newsletter "NeedleNews" at her website.