Treat yourself to a new sewing set or embroider the perfect gift for a stitching friend with these Hardanger needlecases and pincushions. Choose either traditional white on white or use shaded Caron threads for subtle colour tones; both will brighten up your workbox.

Needlecase Front Chart

For the needlecase worked in Caron threads you will need...

2 pieces of Zweigart china rose (shade 414), 22 count Oslo fabric, 10 ins x 12 ins (25 cms x 30 cms).
Caron Watercolours, cotton candy #116.
Caron Wildflowers, cotton candy #116.
Tapestry needle sizes 24 and 26.
Two pieces of white felt 4 ins x 512 ins (10 cms x 14 cms).
Pink sewing cotton.
Approximate design size: 41/8 ins x 53/4 ins (10 cms x 15 cms).

For the needlecase worked in Pearl cotton you will need...

2 pieces of Zweigart white, 28 count Quaker cloth, 8 ins x 10 ins (20 cms x 25 cms).
White Anchor Pearl cotton no.8.
White Anchor Pearl cotton no.12.
Anchor stranded cottons, blossom pink (shade 49) and pale moss green (shade 265).
Two pieces of pink felt 31/4 ins x 4 ins (8 cms x 10.2 cms).
Tapestry needle sizes 24 and 26.
White sewing cotton.
Approximate design size: 33/8 ins x 41/4 ins (8.6 cms x 11 cms).

One skein of each shade of thread is more than enough to complete these projects.

Click on the images below for Full size Charts (Note back chart appears underneath the front chart on the same page.)

Working the needlecase

Oversew the edges of the fabric before stitching to prevent fraying. One line on the chart represents one fabric thread of Quaker cloth or two double threads of Oslo fabric.

For the Pearl cotton version:

1 Work the Kloster blocks of five stitches over four threads and the Four sided stitch using white Pearl cotton no. 8.
2 Work the Straight stitches in two strands of green stranded cotton (Anchor 265) and the Detatched chain stitches in two strands of pink stranded cotton (Anchor 49).
3 Cut the appropriate fabric threads and withdraw them.
4 Work the Woven bars, Doveís eye filling and Spiderís web filling using white Pearl cotton no.12.

For the Caron threads version:

Follow the method above using one strand of Watercolours cotton candy for the Kloster blocks and Four sided stitch and Wildflowers cotton candy for all the remaining stitches.

Making up the needlecase

1 Once the back and front of the needlecase have been embroidered, carefully cut away the excess fabric eight fabric threads away from the embroidery all round. Turn a hem to the back and slip stitch into place.
2 Place the back of the needlecase right side down, place the two felt pieces on top and last of all the front embroidered piece right side up.
3 Using the sewing cotton sew all the pieces together by back stitching down the inner side of the Four sided stitch as shown on the chart with a red line.

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Stitches used

For the basics of Hardanger please see Issues 5 and 6 of New Stitches or our book ëEasing into Hardangerí. Either of these will clearly explain both the working of Kloster blocks and the cutting of open areas. Hardanger designs that have recently appeared in New Stitches can be found in Issues 59, 60 and 61.

Spider's web filling

Fasten on a length of the chosen thread behind the Kloster blocks or Woven bars and bring the thread up from underneath the fabric as shown.
Take the thread down into the diagonally opposite square of fabric.
Take three twists over the thread you have just worked and go down into the centre of the first fabric square.
Take the working thread round underneath the fabric and through the Kloster blocks as shown by the red dotted line (in some cases you will be taking it underneath the Woven bars). Bring the thread out underneath the lower right corner of the cut square being worked and take the thread over the twisted thread and down into the fabric square diagonally opposite.
Take one twist over the thread and come out at A. Then pass over and under both diagonal laid threads in a circular motion for two rounds. Finally take one more twist around the thread of the latest diagonal and go down into the centre of the right hand lower fabric square.
At this point you may be in the correct place to start the next filling. If not, pass the working thread through the backs of the Kloster blocks or Woven bars to reach your starting point for the next filling.

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Four sided stitch

Work as shown in the diagram. Pull the stitches slightly.

Woven bars Weave the thread in a figure of 8 motion over and under the exposed threads to cover them. There is no rule as to how many of these you should work, work sufficient to cover the exposed threads.	Dove's eye filling with woven bars Fasten on behind a Kloster block and bring the needle out centrally to the block. Take the stitches around the square to be filled as shown in the diagram, passing the thread under then back over the bars as you go. Be sure to take the thread over the first stitch as shown before taking the thread into the first Kloster block to pass on to the next stitch.

Straight stitch Follow the order in the diagram.	Detached chain stitch Work as shown in the diagram taking the last stitch down over one fabric thread.

Click here for Part II instructions for the Pincushion.

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