What Are You Stitching?

Hardanger is a type of counted embroidery that requires careful cutting and needleweaving to produce the lovely geometric designs. It hails from Hardanger in Norway and traditionally was worked in white thread on white linen. 

Hardanger is a technique that is now practiced and loved around the world and is used in all kinds of projects with various colours and stitches being included. This has made Hardanger a wonderfully rich and varied technique, as these examples will attest.

‘Here is my latest creation, a centrepiece that I embroidered in Hardanger and raised embroidery.’

‘I also used various filling stitches, Sorbello stitch and a woven picot special edge. The whole piece is my own work and design.’

This is a lovely piece, Sonia. You have used so many different techniques to create the magnificent whole. Congratulations on a beautiful design.

‘Here is a picture of a finished project from a little while back – a counted thread card. It was completed as I was planning another big project for a young friend’s wedding.’

This is a lovely little finish, Elizabeth. Sometimes it is good to do small projects between the larger ones to keep things fresh. Thank you for sharing!

‘Five years ago, I started the Wymeswold Textile Art Group in my village in England. We met once a month, shared our different skills by having regular workshops, and occasionally invited a professional to give us a fresh perspective and new techniques.’

‘When COVID hit the world, we didn’t want to stop. At first we were allowed to have garden workshops of up to six participants, but when the winter came, we had to go onto Zoom. We added a once a month ‘Show and Tell’ session then ‘Slow Stitch’ sessions to our regular meet-up. Every week we were meeting on Zoom to share ideas and see our progress. This project came out of a Hardanger session we did.’

We’re so glad that your group embraced technology to allow you to keep doing what you love, Lorraine. It must have been great comfort through challenging times.

‘This Hardanger mat was a UFO I found buried in a drawer, so I decided to finish it off. I’m not sure where I got the design. I usually do one or two projects at a time so I don’t have many UFO’s, but this one slipped by me!’

You must be very glad you picked it up and finished it though, Mavis, because it is truly a work of art! 

Do you love doing Hardanger? Do you enjoy working it the traditional way, using white on white or do you like experimenting with colour and stitches? Or perhaps there is another technique that you enjoy? 

Whatever it is you love to stitch, we’d like to see it. Send us a picture of your work with a bit of information about the project and your stitching journey to news@inspirationsstudios.com