Source: https://www.needlework-tips-and-techniques.com/hardanger-embroidery.html

Hardanger embroidery

Hardanger embroidery made an impression on me at a very young age.

I was visiting my grandmother's bungalow and, as usual, the first thing I did upon arriving was to check out her dressing table.

She always placed hand embroidered doilies on top, to protect the wooden surface from scratches. Normally they featured brightly coloured flowers or even crinoline ladies. That day I was in for a surprise.

In pride of place lay a crisp white mat encrusted with neat white stitchery. She had decorated the open areas of the cloth with fine lacy stitches. It was stunningly beautiful.
 

During the time we shared, I often watched her creating her masterpieces with needle and thread, and sometimes she let me add a stitch. She would then say that we made the project together.
 

When Nan started her next piece of hardanger embroidery, I watched intently, keen to see the process in action. I didn't understand at that age, that you couldn't fill holes with lace without working the stitches around the perimeter first. I couldn't wait for the fancy work. Taking her stork-handled scissors, she started carefully cutting threads in between her solid stitching.

Then she laid her work on the chair arm while she went to boil a kettle.

Of course I had to help. Oh dear. Disaster!

Let's just say that Nan never finished that project, and it was many years before I plucked up the courage to try Hardanger embroidery again. But once I did, there was no stopping me.

 

Intro

Free step-by-step course

What threads to use?

What fabric do I use?

Hardanger stitches

What else will I need?

How do I follow a hardanger pattern?

What if I cut the wrong thread?

Your questions answered

Traditional hardanger embroidery originates from the Norwegian area that gives it its name. The women there would embellish their aprons, caps and household linens such as tablecloths and runners with Hardanger stitching.
 

Whether you stick to the traditional white on white method, or introduce some colour, is your decision. It looks lovely either way.

You may decide to frame your work or complete your finished pieces as bellpulls, coasters, Christmas tree ornaments or perhaps a mat to place on your own dressing table instead of decorating your garments.   

Most Hardanger designs are geometric. However, I like to be inventive and enjoy designing pictorial pieces, such as the little owl shown here, although it still uses traditional stitches.

The method of working is just as my grandmother showed me all those years ago.

Start with the satin stitch blocks known as "kloster blocks" that form the outer boundaries of the cut areas. Add decorative surface stitchery, such as the cable stitched feathers on the breast. Next you need those sharp-pointed scissors, which I caused so much damage with! However, once you know which threads to cut and which to leave in place, it is simple. The pretty lace stitches complete your project. 

Next, in this beginners guide to hardanger let's look at the materials you will need to try this type of embroidery yourself. 

You need two different thicknesses of Pearl cotton. Which you choose will depend on your fabric. The lower the number, the thicker the thread.

Unless you are working on fabric with few threads per inch, we normally ignore the thickest, Pearl cotton number three, as it would be too chunky. Instead, we either pair numbers five and eight, or eight and twelve, to give the best results.

As shown in the photograph, Pearl cotton comes in both balls and skeins. You will normally find only the finer versions, eight and twelve, sold in balls. 

Use the thicker thread for your kloster blocks and any other satin stitches. Work the rest of your design with the finer thread.