デンマーク手工芸ギルドとヤマナシ ヘムスロイド
Established in 1928, the Danish Handcraft Guild (※) was founded with the aim of promoting Danish textile art, especially supporting those involved in embroidery designs. Under the efforts of Ms. Gertie Wandel, who served as chairperson from 1943 to 1978, the association developed into a network with its own workshop, provincial branches throughout Denmark, directly managed stores, and craft schools and training facilities. Since the end of the 20th century, there has been difficult times when the directly managed stores closed and the association and production separated, making it challenging for the association to carry out the production and sales it wished to undertake. In 2026, the organisational structure was renewed with the new production team of House of Needlework.
Since 1976, Yamanashi Hemslöjd has served as the only official agency in Japan representing the Danish Handcraft Guild, officially appointed by Ms. Gertie Wandel and recognized by the Danish Royal Family and Embassy. We have held exhibitions and fairs throughout Japan with the cooperation and sponsorship of embassies, the Royal Family, and art museums. Under the supervision of Mikiko Yamanashi, we have fulfilled our responsibility of introducing embroidery as a Danish historical as well as cultural art form through the publication of numerous books and exhibitions across Japan. Moving forward, we will continue to cooperate with the association as well as the production in Denmark, sharing the philospphy and traditional values of the Handcraft Guild movement that elevated cross-stitch to “art in everyday life,“ and will promote the preservation of embroidery artworks, the passing on of techniques, and cultural exchange.
The Danish Handcraft Guild is characterized by its history, which developed as a movement to promote textile art, formulated by women, starting from the modern era when decorative arts shaped modern lifestyles, with its tradition of commitment to universally excellent design and long-lasting quality. For many years, Queen Alexandrine and Queen Ingrid of the Danish Royal Family served as patrons of the Danish Handcraft Guild Association, and Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II has designed the Årets Korssting (an annual calendar embroidery pattern book published by the association) four times, in addition to numerous other embroidery designs.
Furthermore, outstanding designers and artists have contributed to the association with numerous sophisticated embroidery patterns. Among those who made particularly significant contributions in the early days were Gerda Bengtsson, Ida Winkler, and Edith Hansen, all of whom worked full-time on creations and also held training courses. Others include Naja Salto, Måss Stege, Vibeke Orlis, Bjørn Wiinblad, and Ole Korzø. The Danish Guild of Handcrafts preserves 6,000 patterns, of which approximately 3,000 have been produced as kits.
We hope that Denmark's unique, wonderful designs, along with patterns and materials refined over time, will further inspire your creativity and dreams, and be incorporated into your everyday life.
Yamanashi Hemslöjd
(※) Danish handcraft Guild is the official English tradition of Haandarbejdets Fremme. Yamanashi Hemslöjd has always used its faithful translation, デンマーク手工芸ギルド (Denmaaku Shukougei Girudo) since 1976 with respect and responsibility. In the past decades with the spread of the internet market, the name "フレメ”(Fureme) has become widely used in Japan as if it were a brand name without legitimate permission. This has caused considerable confusion in the market, which has been taken very seriously in both countries.
From January 2026, we have the new production, House of Needlework, newly recognized by the Danish Handcraft Guild association. The quality and packaging of materials and kits differ from products previously distributed under the name "フレメ Fureme".
Danish Handcraft Guild Magazine (published three times a year)
The journal, which has been published since 1934, is in Danish, but its many illustrations have led to it being subscribed to by embroidery enthusiasts overseas. Håndarbejdets Fremme has also featured frequently. Subscribing allows you to support the activities of the Danish Handcraft Guild.
For those who find international remittance from Japan cumbersome and costly, Yamanashi Hemslöjd will act as the application and payment window. The official magazine will be mailed directly to you from Denmark three times a year. To apply, please contact us by phone or visit our Omotesando store.
Annual subscription fee: ¥13,500 (including tax, brokerage fees, and shipping). Not eligible for Friends' Club discount.
To all members of the Yamanashi Hemslöjd Friends’ Association
Please note that discounts on Yamanashi Hemslöjd’s ‘Tomo no Kai’ (Friends) member benefit 10% off items are not applicable for purchases made on our online store. If you wish to use your ‘Tomo no Kai’ discount, please continue to place your orders directly with us in-store.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, and we appreciate your understanding.
Omotesando Shop: ☎️ 03-3470-3119 📩 yhi.tokyo@gmail.com
* If you would like to join the Friends’ Association, please see the information here.
Delivery times for orders
The manufacturer makes the kits by hand, one by one.
All items from the Danish Handcraft Guild are available to order. Please feel free to inquire about items you may have seen in past catalogues. If an item is not in stock at our Omotesando store, it currently takes approximately 3-6 weeks to order from the manufacturer, depending on their availability (as of 2026).
After purchase, please check the contents of the kit
When you purchase an embroidery kit, please take the time to check the pattern and materials. Should there be any issues, please contact the retailer within one week.
Due to the nature of the product, we are unable to offer exchanges or returns for a different kit, but we will do our best to accommodate your situation.
Trade enquiries
If your organisation (such as a retail shop or school) is interested in stocking Danish Handcraft Guild embroidery materials, please contact us via email at our office. We will send you the necessary documentation.
Contact: yhi.tokyo@gmail.com
Respect for copyright
About the Danish Handcraft Guild's kits and designs
Please help protect the copyrights of designs from The Danish Handcraft Guild, which are loved worldwide. The designs and kits from The Danish Handcraft Guild are valuable assets to the Guild and Denmark. Since its founding, the association has been responsible for the copyright and quality control of cross-stitch kit designs, striving to provide high-quality embroidery culture. Therefore, we tend to deal strictly with copyright infringements. For 50 years, Yamanashi Hemslöjd has played a role in widely introducing and simultaneously protecting these designs, which are also Danish heritage.
Now that it has become so easy to buy, sell and publish content online, we believe it is more essential than ever to foster a cooperative relationship between the associations responsible for copyright and the preservation of cultural heritage, and the production companies and retailers responsible for ensuring the quality and distribution channels that meet those expectations.
Please note the following:
- Designs from the Danish Handcraft Guild's kits cannot be used for any purpose other than personal use, including publication.
- For exhibitions, permission and an exhibition fee are required. Please contact us with the title and number of your work. We will inform you of the necessary details for display, the consent form, and the exhibition fee (which is proportional to the kit price and covers the Danish Handcraft Guild's support costs). Once the consent form is submitted, we will send you authentication. It may be possible to exhibit in public institutions such as schools without charge.
- Use or sale for purposes other than private use without permission, or plagiarism and misappropriation of the design, will incur a penalty for violation of international copyright protection agreements. Please refrain from duplicating or copying the design, even for private use. When publishing works on social media etc., please state the official name "Danish Handcraft Guild / Haandarbejdets Fremme (※ Fremme alone cannot be used)", the designer's name, and the product number.