Hardanger embroidery - Origins, materials and techniques

Hardanger Embroidery - The Origins

The exact origins of Hardanger embroidery are unknown, but it is believed to have originated in ancient Persia and Asia. During the Renaissance, this early form of embroidery spread to Italy, where it evolved into Italian reticella and Venetian lace. Around 1700 variations of this type of embroidery spread to northern Europe, where it developed into Danish and Dutch hedebo, Scottish Ayrshire work and Ruskin lace, as well as Norwegian patterned work, as it was then called. .

In the period between 1650 and 1850, Hardangersom (meaning work in the Hardanger area) flourished in Norway. Flax was grown, carded, spun, and woven into white cloth and yarn used to make and decorate traditional Norwegian costumes called bunad (national costumes), as well as other clothing and bedding such as rugs, curtains, and bedspreads. .

Hardanger Embroidery - Materials and Technique what fabric to use

Historically, Hardanger embroidery used linen fabrics of 36 counts or more. However, modern Hardanger cloth is a cotton material evenly woven with pairs of threads. Typically 22 pairs per linear inch in both directions, referred to as "22 count." The weft gives the fabric a square look (similar to Aida fabric), with well-differentiated holes, making it easy to count and work with.

hardanger embroidery threads

Traditional Hardanger embroidery is worked with a thread color that matches the fabric, usually white or cream. The use of single color thread enhances both the sculptural nature of the stitching and the detail of the intricate fill stitching. However, many contemporary designs use colored, variegated and dyed yarns to great effect.

Among the imported threads are linens of various colors and thicknesses, and the weft called Hardanger, made of cotton, which is twenty-two inches long. The most used sheets are those of twenty and twenty-eight threads per inch.

The thickness of the threads

The thickness of the thread should be based on the fabric being used. The hardanger always uses two sizes of thread: a thicker one suitable for satin, satin and buttonholes, and a finer one for all other stitches.

Generally, in fabrics with less than twenty-five threads per inch, such as heavy hemp, it is customary to use threads with a thickness of five and eight. In wefts with a number greater than 25 per inch, thread gauges eight and twelve are used.
In wefts with a number greater than 25 per inch, thread gauges eight and twelve are used.

Two weights of pearl cotton (perle) are used. On normal 22 count Hardanger fabric, this is usually number 1. no. 5, a heavier weight used for Kloster blocks and satin stitch patterns, and No. #8, a thinner thread used for more delicate fill stitches and other surface details. In fabrics with a finer and higher count, the thread blend will not. 8 and no. 12 is generally more suitable.

How to knit Hardanger embroideries

To get started, check out this Hardanger Embroidery for Beginners video from Mystika Crafts:

The Hardanger is a very pretty jersey and is made with small square and geometric holes, always following the weft of the fabric. It is an embroidery point that has a great variety of stars and is made with four fabric threads. Some of the most famous stitches used in the production of Hardanger embroidery are the satin stitch, cable stitch, cable hem, buttonhole, and cross thread fill.

It is a traditional form of embroidery made with white or colored thread on white or cream cloth, using counted threads and elaborate work procedures. Hardanger is sometimes called white embroidery.

There are many ways to do Hardanger embroidery: linen, cotton or mixed fibers and even synthetic fibers, but the fibers and threads must contain a light and regular weave, such as hemp, both coarse and fine. The fabrics available on the market for embroidery at Hardanger are minimal.