Hardanger Embroidery

Hardanger, or Hardangersom, is a form of whitework using counted thread and drawn thread work. It is worked on evenweave fabric of either cotton or linen with linen or pearl cotton threads. Though traditionally worked in white thread on white fabric, color has been used for many years now, both in the fabrics and threads.

While the history of Hardanger embroidery is not well documented, it was popular during the Renaissance period, when the use of linen for clothing increased. It spread its way to Italy, where lovely lace motifs of Punto Taglito and Punto Rialto were done. There it developed into the Punto Aria patterns of Venetian lace. Some motifs of Hardanger show an Assyrian and Egyptian influence which can be traced to the Vikings' many sea forays far into the Mediterranean Sea. The eight-pointed star of Hardanger embroidery is also found in the embroidery of India and is a universal symbol.

As these patterns and textiles moved further north, they were modified into Norwegian Hardanger, Danish Hedebo, English Ayrshire work and Ruskin Lacework. Originally Hardanger was called Norwegian Drawn Work.

The immigration of the Scandinavian peoples from 1840-1920 saw the introduction of the embroidery to America during that time. The first published introduction was made by the editor of the Lace Maker in an article in the Ladies' Home Journal, May 1901, written by Sara Hadley. This and subsequent articles were later published as The Complete Hardanger Book in 1904, and as Supplementary Lessons in Hardanger in 1906, both published by D.S. Bennett.

T. Buettner and Company of Chicago, Il, an importer and wholesaler of Hardanger cloth or canvas (scrim) and the Ideal Nun's Perl Luster Thread also published a book in 1904 and a second book in 1915. Butterick, DMC, Belding and Priscilla all had books out at this time. In fact, the Dover Book we know as Sigrid Bright's Hardanger Embroidery is a reprint of the Clark ONT J. Coats Priscilla book of 1909. Part of this book was reprinted by Tower Press in 1981 and is known as the Hardanger Book.

With the advent of the World Wars, so much of the embroidery dropped gradually from sight. But since 1970 and the publication of Jean Kimmond's Embroidery for the Home and a J.P. Coats publication, the art began to return.

In 1977 Susan Meier and Rosalyn Watnemo, owners of the Nordic Needle in Fargo, ND, began publishing instruction and pattern booklets for Hardanger embroidery. They sponsor an annual contest for original Hardanger embroidery designs, and each year the winning patterns are published under the title of Award-Winning Designs in Hardanger Embroidery.

All information was taken from The Hardangersom of Vesterheim, Vol. I by the late Carolynn Craig Gustafson, edited and compiled by Susan L. Meier and Rosalyn K. Watnemo. 1987.

Used with generous permission, March, 1999.

A wonderful article by Rita Vanius is in the archives of  the Caron website.  In two parts, it's great!!