April 26, 2009

Hardanger Lace

Hardanger lace embroidery is prized for its beauty, elegance and ability to enliven a plain piece of good quality fabric. Hardanger embroidery originated in a small town of the same name in Norway, where it continues to be made to this day. Hardanger lace spread to Italy, Germany and other European countries before being introduced to the United Stars in May 1901, according to the editor of The Lace Maker in an article in The Ladies' Home Journal.

You must work with fabric which has an even weave both directions. Using a blunt needle, you count carefully while creating the satin stitch, over-and-under bars, eyelet stitch, back stitch, lace stitch, or fagoting stitches using thread you never knot. Here you see the final project where Zella has stitched around the edge with her sewing machine so the edge never frays.

4 comments:

The Hobbit said...

Beautiful work.Beyond my ability.That's quite the circle of artist you have.

Montanagirl said...

Beautiful! Your family's talents never cease to amaze me.

Elaine said...

Lovely work! What patience it must take--and what good eyesight! Alas, that and creaky joints have limited the needlework I do now.

Leedra said...

I have a few (under 10) hardanger projects I have done. This is hard work. X-stitch is a breeze compared to this. I am not real fast at Hardanger either, but the finished project is worth it, because it is so awesome.