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#1
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American hardanger
There's someone here, that teaches "american hardanger", claiming that
it's different from plain hardanger. Some distinctive features should be that it's "worked diagonally" and that it has a border done on woven bars instead of buttonholing on fabric. Now, I've seen a work, and it does not seem anything strange, to me. It was done with coloured threads, and with some other embroidery in it, like some coloured flowers in daisy stitch and stem stitch. But is it enough to call it "american hardanger"? I know that american and australian publications offer more coloured projects than german ones, more traditional. I know that american and australian publications tend to use different threads, variegated ones, and use also embellishments, like beads. But does this justify the name of "american hardanger"? And is this term used in America, too? Ciao, Stefania -- Stefania Bressan (Italy) http://digilander.libero.it/angolostefania |
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#2
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Stefania Bressan wrote [and asked]:
There's someone here, that teaches "american hardanger", claiming that it's different from plain hardanger. Some distinctive features should be that it's "worked diagonally" and that it has a border done on woven bars instead of buttonholing on fabric. Now, I've seen a work, and it does not seem anything strange, to me. It was done with coloured threads, and with some other embroidery in it, like some coloured flowers in daisy stitch and stem stitch. But is it enough to call it "american hardanger"? I know that american and australian publications offer more coloured projects than german ones, more traditional. I know that american and australian publications tend to use different threads, variegated ones, and use also embellishments, like beads. But does this justify the name of "american hardanger"? And is this term used in America, too? Before I forget, Schwalm is practised in Germany in tons of colors. A great RCTN'er sent me some scrumptuous pictures that I have yet to put up on line. Fascinating for not only the colors used, but the motifs - which are not traditional in any sense. Such an interesting question about the use of the word "American" when attached to the technique Hardanger. A good article can be read on-line at the following address: http://www.caron-net.com/may99files/may99fea.html There's a "Part One" that you can click on, also. But this page specifically addresses your question. Here's a quote from this page, which is specific and direct: "There is some controversy regarding some of the embroidery which is given the appellation of Hardanger. What began as a decoration for household linens has been turned into something else which purists refer to as "American Hardanger." This would include any work which employs colors other than white or cream or is executed on cotton rather than linen cloth. Applications for these contemporary "American Hardanger" embroideries have grown to encompass tablecloths, doilies, runners, wallhangings, pillows, bedspreads, baptismal and wedding gown trims, bookmarks, Christmas ornaments, bellpulls, sun catchers, liturgical vestments, needle cases, pincushions, coasters, bread covers and even doll clothes. However, even though the designs, applications and materials have multiplied since the 18th century, the basic techniques remain the same. White-on-white remains the most traditional and, for many, the most elegant choice for Hardanger embroidery. Traditionalists can continue to work Hardanger in its original pure form, while those who are more experimentally inclined can employ the numerous new choices of materials now available." Also, I had a web page - no longer there but can put back up again - from a UK publication (early 20th century "Weldon's Encyclopedia of Needlework") that shows a LOT of different stitches that you don't see being used today - at least that I've seen. So, for me personally, I don't like adding the word "American" to a technique, since the Brits certainly added to this creativity a hundred years ago. Hedebo, a Danish embroidery, has three distinct forms due to creativity and the passage of time: old, intermediate, and new. So, I don't see why we can't just call it "New Hardanger", if the purists - with whom I have some agreement in their philosophy - wish to retain it's original intent. There's two ways I look at adding the term "American" to the technique: 1. derogatory - egotistical; 2. not true to form. So it's use isn't positive one way or another. Then again, nobody put me in charge. grin Dianne |
#3
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On Sun, 28 Sep 2003 16:37:04 -0500, Dianne Lewandowski wrote:
[...] "There is some controversy regarding some of the embroidery which is given the appellation of Hardanger. What began as a decoration for household linens has been turned into something else which purists refer to as "American Hardanger." This would include any work which employs colors other than white or cream or is executed on cotton rather than linen cloth. Yes, I don't know how I could forget it. I printed it, and put in a binder with other embroidery articles, because it is very interesting. This should answer the question. [...] Also, I had a web page - no longer there but can put back up again - from a UK publication (early 20th century "Weldon's Encyclopedia of Needlework") that shows a LOT of different stitches that you don't see being used today - at least that I've seen. If you put it online, give me the url, it should be interesting. So, for me personally, I don't like adding the word "American" to a technique, since the Brits certainly added to this creativity a hundred years ago. Hedebo, a Danish embroidery, has three distinct forms due to creativity and the passage of time: old, intermediate, and new. So, I don't see why we can't just call it "New Hardanger", if the purists - with whom I have some agreement in their philosophy - wish to retain it's original intent. There's two ways I look at adding the term "American" to the technique: 1. derogatory - egotistical; 2. not true to form. So it's use isn't positive one way or another. Then again, nobody put me in charge. grin Dianne To me, it looks like here's they're trying to "sell" it like it was a different thing, something "special". I don't feel the need to name it in a different way. For me, it's hardanger. I can embellish it, add flowers, use colors, but the technique is hardanger, stop. But I don't have the need to sell anything... grin Thanks, Stefania -- L'angolo di Stefania http://digilander.libero.it/angolostefania Un francobollo per il ricamo: partecipa anche tu! http://www.actaetagenda.it |
#4
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Stefania Bressan wrote:
To me, it looks like here's they're trying to "sell" it like it was a different thing, something "special". I don't feel the need to name it in a different way. For me, it's hardanger. I can embellish it, add flowers, use colors, but the technique is hardanger, stop. But I don't have the need to sell anything... grin Agreed. I resent it. I was also thinking they could call it "modern Hardanger", but since it hasn't been in it's pure form since about 1870, that seems to be rather ridiculous. I'll hunt up that page and put it up again and post the URL here. The article also calls it by the correct name, which we in the U.S. seem unable to get right to begin with. grin Dianne |
#5
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I'm working on the EGA Individual Correspondence Course in "modern"
hardanger, and the first step of this three part course is to research the differences between "traditional" and "American" hardanger (the terms are used by the author of the course, not me), and then design and stitch a small piece of hardanger in each style. I did find several resources that discuss a difference between traditional hardanger (typically white on white or cream/cream, and mostly decorative klosters/satin stitches with very little cutting--these pieces were apparently VERY utilitarian) and American hardanger (introduction of colored thread/fabric, and very liberal use of decorative cutwork stitches). Actually, the evolution of the traditional hardanger, according to one source, can be traced to when the stitchers started to become less isolated geographically and culturally, not necessary with the introduction of "American" influences. Danish and Swedish influences apparently played a large role in how hardanger has evolved. Many of these resources, however, were decades old. I wonder if this distinction is relevant today. I could post my bibliography for this part of the course if anyone is interested. However, I've not heard the terms "American" or "traditional" hardanger applied to this needlework outside of this correspondence course or these older resources I found. Everything I've seen has just been labeled hardanger, regardless of color, type of thread/fabric used, or amount of decorative stitches. Carol Sylvester "Stefania Bressan" wrote in message ... There's someone here, that teaches "american hardanger", claiming that it's different from plain hardanger. Some distinctive features should be that it's "worked diagonally" and that it has a border done on woven bars instead of buttonholing on fabric. Now, I've seen a work, and it does not seem anything strange, to me. It was done with coloured threads, and with some other embroidery in it, like some coloured flowers in daisy stitch and stem stitch. But is it enough to call it "american hardanger"? I know that american and australian publications offer more coloured projects than german ones, more traditional. I know that american and australian publications tend to use different threads, variegated ones, and use also embellishments, like beads. But does this justify the name of "american hardanger"? And is this term used in America, too? Ciao, Stefania -- Stefania Bressan (Italy) http://digilander.libero.it/angolostefania |
#6
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Carol Sylvester wrote:
Actually, the evolution of the traditional hardanger, according to one source, can be traced to when the stitchers started to become less isolated geographically and culturally, not necessary with the introduction of "American" influences. Yes, from everything I've read on the subject. And this is one reason I rsent the term "American" being associated with it. The Brits had a heavy hand in introducing other stitches, too, which probably also came from elsewhere. I'll try to get that page up today. Danish and Swedish influences apparently played a large role in how hardanger has evolved. Many of these resources, however, were decades old. I wonder if this distinction is relevant today. I could post my bibliography for this part of the course if anyone is interested. However, I've not heard the terms "American" or "traditional" hardanger applied to this needlework outside of this correspondence course or these older resources I found. Everything I've seen has just been labeled hardanger, regardless of color, type of thread/fabric used, or amount of decorative stitches. Except that it's Hardangersom. huge grin (The sewing of Hardanger). Of course, one could argue that Schwalm isn't correct, either. It's really the "whitework of Schwalm", or "Schwalm embroidery". But we Americans (myself included) tend to shorten things and simply say Schwalm. Is there a way for you to condense what you've read - similar to the thesis on Caron's website - and give us a sampling of what you've come up with? I'd be happy to put it on line. Dianne |
#7
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On Mon, 29 Sep 2003 16:19:24 GMT, Carol Sylvester wrote:
I could post my bibliography for this part of the course if anyone is interested. Yes, thanks!! However, I've not heard the terms "American" or "traditional" hardanger applied to this needlework outside of this correspondence course or these older resources I found. Everything I've seen has just been labeled hardanger, regardless of color, type of thread/fabric used, or amount of decorative stitches. This makes sense. I would use the same terms if I should deepen the argument, and explain the changes happened thru the years, but not as a label of a kind of needlework technique. Ciao, Stefania -- L'angolo di Stefania http://digilander.libero.it/angolostefania Un francobollo per il ricamo: partecipa anche tu! http://www.actaetagenda.it |
#8
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Actually, I had to write a 500 word "research paper" following my research.
The text of that is attached below... --------------------------- Hardanger is typically viewed as a Norwegian needlework, named after the district on the west coast of the country. However, the roots of Hardanger stretch all the way to ancient Asia and Persia, with some Italian techniques such as reticella, also a part of this needlework's past.1 Many of the motifs found in Hardanger can be traced to Egypt, India and Syria.2 Hardanger is the most famous of the whitework needleworks of Norway. It has always been used as a decorative type of needlework. During its most popular period, from 1650 to 1850, it was mainly used as embellishment on women's blouses, headdresses, aprons and men's shirts. After 1850, it was also used on decorative items around the home.3 The needlework of Norway developed more slowly than the needlework of the other Scandinavian countries, mostly because the country was cut off from the European Continent by geographical barriers.4 As a result, Hardanger did not change much from its traditional style until Norwegians began to leave their homeland. As Hardanger became known outside of the country, women began experimenting with all aspects of the needlework. Traditionally a strictly geometrical and symmetrical needlework done in white on white or ecru or ecru tones, women in Denmark and Sweden began changing the cutwork areas and began to use pastel colored materials.5 Since the early part of the 20th century, when Norwegians began arriving in America, even more color has been added and in some cases the designs have become extremely elaborate.6 Modern Hardanger is often done on bright colored fabrics with coordinating or contrasting threads, and in many pieces much of the ground fabric is either covered with detailed surface work or cut away to allow for lacy openwork design. The forerunners of Hardanger were stitched on very fine gauze netting, and when the technique became popular in Norway, it was stitched on a high count white fabric, typically linen. Again, though, migration of Norwegian led to change. As Hardanger became more popular in America, the fabric changed from the traditional high count linen to a 22 count "basketweave" fabric, known today as Hardanger fabric.7 In the early 1900s, linen became scarce, and therefore more expensive, and needleworkers looked for an alternative fabric. Cotton became the fabric of choice mainly because it was readily available.8 After fading from popularity during the mid-1900s, this type of needlework enjoyed a resurgence in the 1980s and 1990s. Hardanger designers are taking advantage of the great variety in fabric and threads available for stitching, and it's quite likely that the women who practiced this art when it was in its heyday would not recognize it today. Footnotes: 1 Dardis, Joan Pavel. "Vesterheim-The Norwegian-American Museum." Treasures in Needlework, Summer 1993, p. 61. 2 Dardis, Joan Pavel. "Vesterheim-The Norwegian-American Museum." Treasures in Needlework, Summer 1993, p. 61. 3 Nielsen, Edith. Scandinavian Embroidery: Past and Present. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, NY. 1978. 4 Nielsen, Edith. Scandinavian Embroidery: Past and Present. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, NY. 1978. 5 Nielsen, Edith. Scandinavian Embroidery: Past and Present. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, NY. 1978. 6 Nielsen, Edith. Scandinavian Embroidery: Past and Present. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, NY. 1978. 7 Dardis, Joan Pavel. "Vesterheim-The Norwegian-American Museum." Treasures in Needlework, Summer 1993, p. 61. 8 Vainius, Rita. "The History of Hardangersom, Part II." Caron Collection Website, www.caron-net.com/may99files/may99fea.html, accessed 9 June 2003. ---------------------------------------------------- And there you have the results of my research. It was quite interesting, but take from it what you will... Dianne, if you're interesting in posting this on your website or elsewhere, feel free. Carol Sylvester "Dianne Lewandowski" wrote in message ... Carol Sylvester wrote: Actually, the evolution of the traditional hardanger, according to one source, can be traced to when the stitchers started to become less isolated geographically and culturally, not necessary with the introduction of "American" influences. Yes, from everything I've read on the subject. And this is one reason I rsent the term "American" being associated with it. The Brits had a heavy hand in introducing other stitches, too, which probably also came from elsewhere. I'll try to get that page up today. Danish and Swedish influences apparently played a large role in how hardanger has evolved. Many of these resources, however, were decades old. I wonder if this distinction is relevant today. I could post my bibliography for this part of the course if anyone is interested. However, I've not heard the terms "American" or "traditional" hardanger applied to this needlework outside of this correspondence course or these older resources I found. Everything I've seen has just been labeled hardanger, regardless of color, type of thread/fabric used, or amount of decorative stitches. Except that it's Hardangersom. huge grin (The sewing of Hardanger). Of course, one could argue that Schwalm isn't correct, either. It's really the "whitework of Schwalm", or "Schwalm embroidery". But we Americans (myself included) tend to shorten things and simply say Schwalm. Is there a way for you to condense what you've read - similar to the thesis on Caron's website - and give us a sampling of what you've come up with? I'd be happy to put it on line. Dianne |
#9
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The URL:
http://www.heritageshoppe.com/herita...hardanger.html Dianne Stefania Bressan wrote: On Mon, 29 Sep 2003 16:19:24 GMT, Carol Sylvester wrote: I could post my bibliography for this part of the course if anyone is interested. Yes, thanks!! However, I've not heard the terms "American" or "traditional" hardanger applied to this needlework outside of this correspondence course or these older resources I found. Everything I've seen has just been labeled hardanger, regardless of color, type of thread/fabric used, or amount of decorative stitches. This makes sense. I would use the same terms if I should deepen the argument, and explain the changes happened thru the years, but not as a label of a kind of needlework technique. Ciao, Stefania |
#10
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Carol Sylvester wrote:
Actually, I had to write a 500 word "research paper" following my research. The text of that is attached below... Dianne, if you're interesting in posting this on your website or elsewhere, feel free. Oh, goody. I printed it out. :-) Dianne |
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