What is the Kloster block in hardanger embroidery and why does it determine the drawn thread withdrawal sequence?

A Kloster block is the structural unit of hardanger embroidery: 5 satin stitches worked over 4 evenweave fabric threads, forming a dense 4×4-thread square of covered fabric. Adjacent Kloster blocks share corner threads: a vertical block and a horizontal block meeting at a corner both cover the same corner fabric thread. The Kloster blocks serve two purposes simultaneously — they create the visible satin-stitch embroidery pattern on the fabric surface, and they define the boundaries within which fabric threads can be safely cut and withdrawn. The critical safety rule: fabric threads are never cut outside the protection of a Kloster block. When drawn threads are to be withdrawn from a square of fabric, the 4 Kloster blocks bordering that square must all be completed first. After all bordering blocks are finished, the fabric threads crossing the interior of the bordered square are cut at the inner edge of each block (the block satin stitches prevent the cut from traveling and fraying beyond the block boundary). Withdrawal sequence within a grid area: typically withdraw horizontal threads first from all squares that share a withdrawn-thread row, then vertical threads — or vice versa per the pattern — so that the remaining perpendicular threads form a regular ladder of bars available for needleweaving. The withdrawal sequence affects bar orientation: withdrawing horizontal threads leaves vertical bars; withdrawing vertical threads leaves horizontal bars. A pattern that requires both orientations of bars in different areas needs its withdrawal sequence planned per zone.

What is the difference between needleweaving, dove's eyes, and picots in hardanger, and how should each be documented for Patreon?

Needleweaving, dove's eyes, and picots are three embellishment techniques applied to the bare thread bars that remain after thread withdrawal, and they produce different visual results requiring different documentation detail levels. Needleweaving is the primary bar treatment: the working thread (typically perle #8 on 22-count fabric) is woven over and under the bare bar threads in alternating passes, building up a smooth, slightly textured woven column. Documentation covers: number of passes per bar (typically 3–5 to produce consistent bar diameter), weaving tension (consistent tension per pass produces a smooth cylinder; uneven tension produces lumpy or loose bars), and the transition from one bar to the next at bar junctions. Dove's eye: worked at the center of a 4-bar drawn-thread square after needleweaving has reached the center of all 4 surrounding bars. The needle loops around each of the 4 bars at their midpoint in sequence, forming a 4-point woven circle in the open center of the square. Documentation covers: the starting bar (by position: top/bottom/left/right), the direction of looping at each bar (clockwise or counterclockwise — must be consistent for the looped circle to close symmetrically), and the number of loops per arm (typically 1–2 depending on thread weight). Picot: a small decorative loop projecting from the midpoint of a bar during needleweaving. As needleweaving reaches the bar center, the working thread is looped around a pin placed at the bar midpoint, then the loop is secured by the next weaving pass before the pin is removed. Documentation covers: pin diameter (determines picot loop size; standard dressmaker pin vs thick quilting pin produces different picot sizes), loop orientation (projecting to the left or right of the bar), and whether the picot is worked before or after the dove's eye in the same drawn-thread square.

How does the Apple Tax affect hardanger embroidery Patreon creator income?

Hardanger and drawn-thread embroidery content reaches iOS audiences consistent with the fine needlework and craft tutorial category. YouTube hardanger tutorials and process documentation: 62–72% iOS. Instagram hardanger photography (finished pieces on dark or neutral backgrounds that showcase the cutwork negative space): 70–80% iOS. Pinterest hardanger pattern boards: 72–82% iOS (Pinterest's visual-primary discovery format attracts heavily iOS audiences for needlework content). Starting November 1, 2026, Patreon applies Apple's 30% iOS billing fee to all subscriptions purchased or renewed through the Patreon iOS app. At $150/month with 68% iOS: $150 × 0.68 × 0.30 = $30.60/month ($367.20/year). At $250/month with 72% iOS: $250 × 0.72 × 0.30 = $54/month ($648/year). At $400/month with 76% iOS: $400 × 0.76 × 0.30 = $91.20/month ($1,094.40/year). Enable Patreon's web-only billing toggle before October 31, 2026 and update all bio links to the Patreon web URL so patrons subscribe through a browser rather than the iOS app.

Explainers · 2026-07-18

Patreon for hardanger embroidery creators: Kloster block 5×5 satin stitch thread selection, drawn thread withdrawal sequence, needleweaving bars dove’s eye picot buttonhole bar, 22-count vs 28-count evenweave fabric, iOS rates, and the Apple Tax in 2026

Hardanger Patreon retention depends on the technical documentation layer that finished-piece photography compresses away: the Kloster block withdrawal safety logic (which blocks must be completed before any thread is cut and why); the thread hierarchy per fabric count (perle #5 for blocks on 22-count, #8 for needleweaving on the same fabric, #12 for 28-count); the dove’s eye looping direction that determines whether the center circle closes symmetrically; and the picot-loop sizing relative to working thread weight. Hardanger audiences are YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest-primary with high iOS rates — Apple Tax exposure begins November 1, 2026.

Creator subtypes and tier structures

Traditional hardanger stitchers produce hardanger embroidery on 22-count hardanger fabric (a 100% cotton evenweave with approximately 22 warp and weft threads per inch) or 28-count evenweave linen, following traditional Norwegian and contemporary Western hardanger pattern conventions. The Norwegian tradition uses white thread on white fabric (ecru thread on ecru fabric, or the same-thread-as-fabric approach), relying entirely on the textural contrast between satin-stitch Kloster blocks, needlewoven bars, and open withdrawn areas for the visual effect. Contemporary designers sometimes use contrasting colors, but the same technical structure applies. Tier examples: Pattern and Chart tier ($10/month) — monthly pattern with Kloster block count, placement diagram, thread count of fabric used, and withdrawal sequence notation; Technical Notes tier ($25/month) — full project documentation including bar treatment (needleweaving vs buttonhole vs bare) per zone, filling stitch selection per withdrawn square, dove’s eye and picot placement, and thread weight per technique.

Hardanger pattern designers develop original hardanger patterns, balancing the geometric constraint of the Kloster block grid with aesthetic goals. Every hardanger pattern is constructed on a grid where each grid unit is 4 fabric threads (one Kloster block step). Patterns are designed on graph paper with each graph square representing 2 fabric threads (so a Kloster block occupies a 2-square-wide by 2-square-tall area on the chart). Designers who document their design process — showing how the Kloster block grid was established, how the withdrawal areas were determined, and how filling stitches were allocated to each open area — produce content that builds patron pattern-reading and adaptation skills as well as delivering individual projects.

Kloster block mechanics and thread selection

Block construction on 22-count hardanger fabric

A Kloster block is 5 satin stitches, each stitch covering exactly 4 fabric threads, forming a flat 4×4-thread square of covered fabric. The 5 stitches are worked side by side, each sharing a fabric hole with its neighbor. All 5 stitches travel in the same direction (all vertical or all horizontal per block). Vertically oriented blocks cover 4 fabric threads in the vertical direction and span 5 fabric holes in the horizontal direction (creating a block that is 4 threads tall and 4 threads wide, with the 5 stitch entries and exits using the 5-wide set of holes). Adjacent blocks share corner holes: a vertical block and a horizontal block in an L-junction both pass through the same corner fabric hole, creating a shared corner that is the critical structural point of the hardanger pattern.

Thread selection on 22-count hardanger fabric: perle cotton #5 (approximately 0.9mm diameter) is the standard for Kloster blocks — it is heavy enough to cover the 4 fabric threads completely with 5 stitches without gaps showing through, producing the dense satin-stitch appearance. Perle cotton #8 (approximately 0.5mm diameter) is used for needleweaving, dove’s eyes, picots, and buttonhole bars — a finer thread relative to the fabric for the more detailed drawn-thread work where heavy thread would overwhelm the delicate bar structure. Do not substitute 6-strand embroidery floss for perle cotton without documentation: perle cotton is a tightly twisted, single-ply thread with a smooth, polished surface; embroidery floss is 6 loosely twisted strands that flatten and spread differently under tension, producing a different surface texture in both blocks and needleweaving. On 28-count evenweave linen, the thread hierarchy shifts down: perle #8 for Kloster blocks, perle #12 for needleweaving and drawn-thread work.

Drawn thread withdrawal: safety rule and sequence

The withdrawal safety rule is the most critical piece of hardanger documentation: no fabric thread is ever cut outside the protection of a completed Kloster block. Before cutting any thread for withdrawal from a given area, verify that every Kloster block bordering that area is fully complete — all 5 satin stitches, properly anchored at both ends. Once verified, use small sharp embroidery scissors to cut the thread to be withdrawn at the inside edge of each bordering Kloster block (the edge where the block stitches prevent the cut from fraying inward). Withdraw the cut thread by pulling it horizontally through the fabric with tweezers or a needle, working gently to avoid distorting adjacent uncut threads.

Withdrawal sequence for a standard drawn-thread grid area: withdraw all horizontal threads from the grid zone first (leaving vertical bars), working row by row from top to bottom of the zone. After all horizontal threads are withdrawn, withdraw all vertical threads (leaving horizontal bars). The resulting grid has bars running in both directions, creating a regular net of thread bars over open fabric squares. This dual-withdrawal produces the floating-bar grid characteristic of hardanger and is the substrate for all needleweaving and filling stitch work. In patterns that require bars in only one direction (single-withdrawal areas, less common), only horizontal or only vertical threads are withdrawn, leaving parallel bars of the retained thread direction.

Needleweaving, dove’s eyes, and picots

Needleweaving technique and documentation

After thread withdrawal, each remaining thread bar (typically 4 threads grouped together as a single bar unit) is needlewoven for protection and visual texture. Thread the needle with perle #8 (on 22-count); bring it up at one end of the first bar, adjacent to the Kloster block edge. Weave over and under the bar threads in alternating passes: over the first 2 threads, under the remaining 2 threads of the bar on the first pass; under the first 2, over the last 2 on the second pass. Continue alternating for the full length of the bar to the Kloster block edge at the far end. Consistent tension per pass is the most important variable: too tight and the bar threads are compressed together, creating a thin, uneven column; too loose and the weaving floats visibly off the bar threads. The correctly tensioned bar should have a gently textured, slightly raised appearance with the woven thread smoothly covering the bar fiber.

Moving between bars: at the end of one bar, the needle can travel on the back of the fabric to the adjacent bar’s start position, or the working thread can be anchored at the block edge and re-anchored at the next bar start. Traveling on the back face is faster but leaves visible thread floats on the back that may be visible from the front in high-count open work. For fine display pieces, anchoring between bars is preferred. Document which method was used.

Dove’s eye formation

A dove’s eye is worked after needleweaving has progressed to the midpoint of all 4 bars surrounding an open withdrawn square. At the center of bar 1 (the top bar), the working needle wraps behind the bar (coming up on the near side, going down on the far side of the bar center), forming a loop; the working thread continues across the open square to bar 2 (the right bar), wraps behind bar 2’s center, returns to bar 3 (the bottom bar), wraps, then to bar 4 (the left bar), wraps, and finally passes through the loop created at bar 1 on the first wrap to close the circle. The direction of wrapping at each bar must be consistent (all clockwise or all counterclockwise) for the loops to close into a symmetric 4-petaled eye. The completed dove’s eye is a woven ring floating at the center of the open square with 4 arms extending to the midpoints of the 4 surrounding bars. After the eye is complete, needleweaving resumes from each bar midpoint to its far Kloster block edge.

Apple Tax for hardanger embroidery audiences

Hardanger embroidery content reaches iOS audiences at rates consistent with the fine needlework and Norwegian craft tutorial category. YouTube hardanger technique tutorials: 62–72% iOS. Instagram hardanger photography (finished pieces showing the negative-space cutwork geometry in directional light): 70–80% iOS. Pinterest hardanger boards: 72–82% iOS. Starting November 1, 2026, Apple takes 30% of every Patreon subscription processed through the iOS app.

At $150/month with 68% iOS: approximately $30.60/month ($367/year). At $250/month with 72% iOS: approximately $54/month ($648/year). At $400/month with 76% iOS: approximately $91.20/month ($1,094/year). Enable Patreon’s web-only billing toggle before October 31, 2026 and update all platform bio links to the Patreon web URL.

KeepTier is a self-hosted membership page for creators who want 100% of their tier revenue and zero Apple Tax. Plans from $9/month.

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