Learning crafting at an early age, Augusta represents the social learner. She learned crocheting by watching it being done in social contexts, then repeated this pattern with Hardangers¢m after seeing a friend do it. For Augusta, Hardangers¢m is not only a challenge for display in social competitions, but also a source of additional income.
Evelyn Krueger, of Perham MN is a retired registered nurse and learned to do Hardanger from Elvia Quinn. She has taught Hardanger in the Perham Adult Education classes in 1978 and 79 and while wintering in Weslaco, TX, in 1980 taught classes in a retirement park. Evelyn's maiden name is Rose. For many years she has wanted to somehow express the theme "A single Rose will be my entire garden.” The wild rose in its subtle and delicate pale pink as found in meadows and along roadsides in MN has been her favorite flower since childhood (p.31).
For Evelyn, sewing is foremost an expression of personal and regional identity. The wild rose of Minnesota byways has resonated deeply with the Rose of her natal family and childhood. Hardangers¢m has allowed her to bind this theme into a meaningful practice that she continued to disseminate as a Hardanger teacher.
Hardangers¢m is not the only kind of stitch that has passed from Norway to its expatriate daughters, although it is probably the best known. A rich variety of styles immigrated in the 1800s, resurfacing in holiday decoration, wedding linens, and the vibrant trim of regionally distinct bunads (Norwegian traditional costume).
For Norwegians and those of Norwegian heritage alike, sewing is more than a practical hobby. It is a bond of allegiance to one’s heritage, identity, and community. It is a habit of practice that situates a woman within her social group, that affirms her ties through marriage and friendship, and organizes her time within the framework of economy.
References
Susan L. Meier and Rosalind K. Watnemo. (1980). Award-Winning Designs in Hardanger Embroidery. Fargo, North Dakota: Nordic Needle.
