Knowledge of basic Hardanger technique is assumed for these projects.
The designs are complete in the master graphs with B&W photos (and closeup photos) but there are no other directions.
The assumption is that the reader knows how to stitch the motifs from the graphs.
I took photos of some of the pieces in both Volume I and II.
Some of the edging finishing and motifs are unusual and not seen much in modern Hardanger designs.
These pieces date from 1880 to the early 1920s.
Excerpts from the Vesterheim history -
"The Vesterheim (Western Home) is in Decorah, Iowa and is dedicated to the preservation of Norwegian-American artifacts and buildings. It was founded by Luther College in 1877 and was incorporated as a separate institution in 1964...In 1925 the name was changed from Luther College Museum to The Norwegian-American Historical Museum...The first needlework classes were taught in January 1970 when Carole Schmidt taught a class in Hardanger embroidery...The textile area of the museum contains a costume or Bunad for almost every part of Norway, in addition to weaving, blackwork, tatting, crocheting, knitting, rosesaum (rosework), and hvitsom (whitework of which Hardanger embroidery is a part). The Hardanger embroidery pieces...date from 1880 to the early 1920s...The designs for the most part are quite simple and done on white linen or Hardanger cloth with white linen thread or pearl cotton. The cut sections are simple, being decorated with dove's eyes or picots with some flower fillings. The satin motifs include the eight pointed star and the satin stitch arrow design. The bars are either needlewoven or wrapped. It seems to be a rule of the thumb that when there are twelve loose threads in a row, they are always wrapped instead of woven. The simplicity of the design is what makes the work so outstanding."