Basic Nålbinding
M’Lady Raithnat O’Braonain
Also spelled Nälbinding,
Naalbinding, Nalbinding, Nailbinding, Nahlbinding, and more…
Introduction
Nålbinding is a weaving technique that was commonly used to
produce hats, socks, and mittens, scarves and rugs. There are a number of
differences between nålbinding and knitting. Most notably, is that nålbinding is done with
only one needle and uses short pieces of yarn. Another difference is that the entire length
of the yarn is passed through each stitch. And the most notable difference is that while
in knitting and crochet if you mess up you can just pull the yarn and it will
all come out, Nalbinding will not.
Nalbinding is more durable in that if you pull a loose thread it will
tighten the knot and not run. This makes
undoing your “oops”’s more challenging.
The earliest finds of nålbinding are from Before our Current Era. Many examples have been found around the
world through the medieval times and into our current fiber arts as well.
Materials
•
Large-eyed, Blunt needle: You can get an actual Nalbinding needle
made from anything from metal and plastic to wood or bone, but a tapestry and
darning needle will work
•
Yarn: I find that thicker, fuzzy yarn is easier and
works faster, but truly any yarn can be used.
·
Scissors
•
Patience and a sense of humor!
I can’t stress this enough while you are learning.
The Stitches
There are many nålbinding stitches and they are all variations on
how the yarn is taken up onto the needle.
While there are a few different ways to categorize the known stitches, I
will use the names given based on their first discovery and the Hansen system
to give you a quick reference on the stitch for later. There are actually four systems of
categorizing stitches from the three main archaeologists of the textiles. First
is Margrethe Hald, who categorized based on the total number of loops intersected
in a stitch. Egon Hansen typified the stitches based on the course the
thread takes in each stitch, using O and U when the working thread passes over
or under other threads. Third, Norlund
uses a system that combines the number of loops intersected with the course the
thread takes. Finally, there is the ‘user friendly’ method where stitches
are named for the location where they were first found. I will be using the “on the thumb” method for
my nalbinding examples here, but there are many resources for off the thumb
methods as well. I am right handed, so
the directions below are for right handed stitching. Again there are quite a few sets of
directions online for left handed methods.
I did not print those out as “lefties” account for only 2.5% of earth’s
population.
Starting
Again Nalbinding is done with sections of yarn. Most people will learn with 5-6 foot
sections. As you get more comfortable
feel free to lengthen your sections. As
with everything else in nålbinding, there are two methods to starting: On
a loop, or with free chain. I will be teaching the free chain method in
class.
1) Make and overhand knot in your yarn. Hold it in your
hand with the short tail to the right. Hold the base of this
loop between your left thumb and forefinger.
2)Wrap the long end (needle end)around your thumb, catching the
loop
1st
Stitch- Oslo- uu/ooo
This was the first stitch I Learned and once I got my brain
wrapped around to concept it was an instant favorite.
Step
1: make an overhand knot around your
left thumb.
Step
2: wrap around thumb. Put needle in from the back, under the loop
and cross over and snug against the thumb. Slide loop carefully off the thumb
and pinch between thumb and forefinger.
Step
3: put needle into newest loop from the
front, fold needle over and push under the thumb loop from the back and under
the fold over. Slide previous thumb
loop off and pinch. Snug new loop on thumb
Step
4: repeat step 3 until length desired.
Step
5: connecting- pick up loop from
previous row and continue as usual.
2nd Stitch- York-
uo/uoo
Step 1: over hand knot on left thumb. Make a second loop between thumb and
forefinger and sliding needle through the thumb loop from the back. Pull snug.
Step 2: pass needle through
both loops from the back.
Step 3: slide thumb loop off and snug up.
Step 4: Repeat until
desired length.
Step 5: connecting- pick up
2 loops from below, from the front angled towards the left, continue stitch as
normal.
Making a Circle
(Connecting)
In order to make anything you need to be able to connect
your stitches to those underneath them, or make a circular
shape. Once your chain is long enough to wrap the body part in question,
you pull the tail around and pick up previous stitches, before making a stitch
as normal. There are two options when connecting. You can
make 1 or 2 connections. One
connection will make a lighter, more elastic item. To do this, pick up a
single stitch from the previous round.
Each stitch will be picked up only once. Two connections will make a denser, sturdier
item. To do this, pick up two stitches from the previous round. On the
next stitch pick up one previously connected stitch and a new one. Each stitch will be picked up twice. One
connection - a single stitch from the previous round is picked up, Two connections
– two stitches are picked up from the previous round
Shaping
Increasing is accomplished by making two stitches with exactly the
same path, essentially doubling the number of stitches ‘above’ the old
one. Decreasing is done in just the
reverse; two sets of connecting loops are picked up from the
row below the current stitch.
Also
check out this amazing site for more Nalbinding stitches! This site also has wonderful instructions for
lefties! http://www.en.neulakintaat.fi/1
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