Friday, January 11, 2013

Practice Hardanger


Ever since I saw Hardanger in person I have always wanted to learn how to do it.  I have a passion for lace and this type of stitching can be very lacy looking.  So, I purchased a beginner's book Called Basics and Beyond by Janice Love and started practicing.  The results are in the photo above.  Traditionally hardanger is done white on white, but Janice suggested to try different color fabrics and threads to get an idea for what I liked.  I then started one of her projects which I will blog about when it is finished.  However, Christmas came around and I really wanted to stitch on something Christmasy and one of my favorite stitchers designed some Hardanger ornaments and posted the patterns for them on her blog (http://manya72.blogspot.com/p/free-patterns.html).  Anna Maria is crazy talented and these are the most beautiful Hardanger ornament patterns I have ever seen.  So, I started stitching the bell and just finished it.  Here it is!


I haven't taken down my tree yet so it will get a day or so to hang on my 2012 tree!  I just love it and hope to stitch all her patterns.  Thanks Manya for sharing your lovely patterns.

7 comments:

Mánya said...

Oh, Connie, your bell ornament is just perfect! Congratulations and thank you for sharing.
Hardanger and Christmas go so well together, don't they? Wherever my embroidery journey is taking me, somehow I always find myself "hardangering" around Christmas :)

Sunela said...

Connie, you are definitely an inspirer. I have been wanting to do Hardanger for the longest time. Started on a little bit but did not get a chance to continue it. Thanks for the advice on the book and the blog.

Thelma said...

Beautiful stitching Connie!

Denise :) said...

Connie, Connie -- this is just darling! You did a marvelous job on it, truly. It's very sweet!! I don't know much about Hardanger (no, actually, I know nothing about Hardanger) but would have shied away because what I see is either Har! Danger! or Hard! Anger! Neither of which is appealing. But your little bell really is and so perhaps I need to broaden my understanding!! :)

Denise :) said...

Connie, Connie -- this is just darling! You did a marvelous job on it, truly. It's very sweet!! I don't know much about Hardanger (no, actually, I know nothing about Hardanger) but would have shied away because what I see is either Har! Danger! or Hard! Anger! Neither of which is appealing. But your little bell really is and so perhaps I need to broaden my understanding!! :)

Suztats said...

Connie, I've been wanting to do hardanger for some time. One of these days........
Yours looks great! I wondered when i saw your pic on StitchMAP whether it was Anna Maria's design. Very nicely done!
I have some old x-stitch books with hardanger patterns I've been saving for that rainy day..........

Nicola said...

I find Hardanger very theraputic and I also love the results. Manys's designs are so pretty.