Hardanger Embroidery

June 1, 2014

Hardanger is a traditional Norwegian embroidery technique best known for its use of pulled threads, which leave lace-like open spaces surrounded by stitches. Marfaing, who taught the craft for a number of years at her needlework shop, designed this guide as a teaching tool. It presents Hardanger basics as a series of brief, step-by-step lessons, starting with Kloster blocks, the foundational stitch of Hardanger, and proceeding through the various combinations of stitches and cutwork that give the technique its trademark style. The stitch guide is followed by a selection of projects that demonstrate how Hardanger embroidery can be used to embellish objects ranging from a small sewing bag to place mats to an heirloom wedding ring pillow. The projects include references to the individual lessons (by number) so stitchers can refer back to the detailed instructions as needed. VERDICT There are few books available on this technique and most of them are either more than ten years old or out of print. Marfaing's guide, with its combination of stitches and small projects, will appeal both to beginners and to embroiderers who want to design their own pieces.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2014
Everything old is new again, and hardanger embroidery, which is pulled threadwork named after a fjord in Norway, is gaining twenty-first-century attention, thanks to its clean lines and (often) white-on-white textural design. Author of two other hardanger books (not yet translated into English) and a former French shop owner, Marfaing gives in-depth instructions and 18 elegant projects. The general how-tos, covering primarily materials such as fabric, thread, and hoops, are explored thoroughly. The book's middle section showcases 43 stitches, from simple to complex, that say hardanger. The exhibited stitches are accompanied by graphs that detail how and where to insert needles, color photographs of the finished stitches, and, of course, written directions. Although level of difficulty is not indicated, the 18 projects all show similar details, helping to ensure that the final result, whether a small scissors case or a tablecloth, will be as professional as possible. This embroidery type is definitely for the needleworker who has time to spare.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)