Hardanger embroidery technique
The Hardanger embroidery ( norw .: Hardangersøm ) heard in the embroidery on the technique of breakthrough embroidery and is characterized by special double breakthroughs. It takes its name from the Norwegian Hardanger region , where it was mainly used for traditional blouses and aprons. The technique is of oriental origin. The first breakthrough embroidery emerged in Persia in the 7th century and reached Italy . Mainly noble ladies made tablecloths and altar cloths , which in Italian were called “reticella”, meaning small net. Between the 14th century and 1630 there was a lively exchange of goods between Venice and Bergen in Norway . Embroidery with its geometric patterns found particular popularity on the Hardangerfjord . There the rural women picked up embroidery from the far south and developed it further. Each family designed their typical patterns and elaborately embroidered blouses and aprons for the festive costume ( bunad ) were made from hand-woven linen . Some families still own a complete bridal outfit that is decorated with breakthrough embroidery.
The Norwegian Hardanger embroidery , made on linen , differs from the Persian in that it is mostly embroidered white on white. Hardanger embroidery can be combined with decorative stitches such as satin stitch , cross stitch , cable stitch and festoon stitch to form geometric patterns.
It is embroidered on porous linen fabric that is easy to take off. Alternatively, special handicraft fabrics made from other materials such as cotton and / or viscose are used. After fastening the motif edges with the help of the satin stitch, the fastened fabric threads are cut out within the motif and pulled out thread by thread. The thread groups, consisting of four fabric threads, are wrapped around, so that tight and tightly embroidered webs are created.
What you need to embroider:
- Stick yarn that corresponds to the strength of the fabric. Satin stitches and decorative stitches are usually embroidered with stronger thread than webs and fillings.
- Stick needles without a point so that the fabric threads are not damaged.
- an embroidery frame so that the embroidery thread can be tightened evenly and not too tightly.
- pointed and sharp handwork scissors.