Norwegian Lace by Di Kirchner

All Stitched Up! seems to have been all about lace for several weeks now. Just like when you decide you want a red car and suddenly you start seeing red cars everywhere, when our attention was turned to lace, we realised that it was far more prevalent than we had previously thought.

When we saw that it was time to highlight Di Kirchner’s stunning Norwegian Lace from The Design Collective | Pincushions, we couldn’t help but smile. There it was again!

Norwegian Lace is an almost impossibly delicate and ethereal Hardanger pincushion that is so incredibly lacy, you need to look hard to see how it is held together.

Di is a master at this technique, working the traditional stitches of this characteristic Norwegian style on fine 40ct linen. Her choice of linen ensures that the stitches and design are beautifully small, emphasising the lacy effect of this gorgeous pincushion.

Hardanger is traditionally worked in white on white, however, to emphasise the spaces created through the cutwork edge, a subtle pincushion base made from a natural linen supports the completed embroidery. The actual Hardanger design is carefully worked on white linen, with the natural linen only added during construction.

To achieve perfect results in Hardanger, a pair of sharp, fine-pointed scissors are essential to ensure that you cut just the threads you need to. As you are doing the Kloster blocks and needleweaving, you’ll discover your even tension as you go. It requires your stitches to be firm but not too tight so that the cut linen holds without any distortion.

There are four identical corners to Norwegian Lace, although Di recommends you stitch all of the Kloster blocks first followed by the satin stitch and eyelets.

Only after you have completed the surface elements do you start cutting. This helps you to keep the pattern even and identical across the four sections. Once you have started on the cutwork, you complete each quadrant with all the needleweaving before you move on to the next.

Di has really added to the lacy effect in her choice of border.

The open Kloster blocks with tiny picots on each edge are simply stunning and finish Norwegian Lace off perfectly.

This is one project where you can enjoy the meditative pleasure that comes from the gentle repetition in the stitches. You’re able to get lost in the flow, and when you emerge, a gorgeous piece of lacy Hardanger is the result.

Creating lace with a needle is intensely satisfying and Hardanger is one of the most popular ways that you can do that. Norwegian Lace allows you to construct a beautiful and practical pincushion using a technique that you’re sure to fall in love with, if you haven’t done so already.

Make Your Own Norwegian Lace

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Norwegian Lace by Di Kirchner is a delicate and lace-like square of Hardanger atop a linen base, finished with a wrapped bead.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Norwegian Lace includes everything* you need to re-create this delicate Hardanger pincushion: Fabrics (unprinted), fibre-fill, embroidery threads, beads and needles.

*Please Note: To cater for flexibility of purchase, instructions are not included with our kits. For step-by-step directions on how to create this project, please refer to the book.