Basic Nålbinding

Countess AnneLyse van Gavere

[email protected]
Winter’s End, Barony Fenix, Midrealm 2010

Also spelled Nälbinding, Naalbinding, Nalbinding, Nailbinding, and more…

Introduction
Nålbinding is a weaving technique that was commonly used in the Viking age to produce hats,
socks/shoe liners, and mittens. The period term for this technique is unknown; nålbinding is a
modern term meaning needle-binding.

Nålbinding is often referred to as Viking knitting. However, there are a number of differences
between nålbinding and knitting. Most notably, 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. One last important difference is that each stitch is connected to at least 4
other stitches (either side, above, and below).

All together, this often makes nålbinding much slower than knitting or crochet. But, slow and
steady wins the race! Particularly if you want to have period accessories for an earlier persona.

History
The earliest finds of nålbinding are from ~6500BC in Israel and ~4200BC in Denmark. Of
more relevance to the SCA, 4-6th century nålbound sandal socks have been found in Egypt. For
the Viking age, there are two nålbound mittens from Iceland, the Coppergate sock from York,
and a few small pieces from Finnish grave finds. The mammen find in Denmark had a
rectangular nålbound piece working in gold attached to a silk panel. Digs at Novgorod have
also provided nine fragments of nålbinding. However, most of these date to after the 11th
century.

Nålbinding was prevelant in the medieval era as well, there are socks from Uppsalla, Sweden; a
mitten from Lund, Sweden; stocking fragments from Kaukola, Finland; various fragments from
Novgorod, Finland; linen stockings from Delsberg, Switzerland; and additional finds in Italy
and South America. Most of these examples come from wealthy or ecclesiastical tombs.

Page 1 of 10
Materials

• Large-eyed, Blunt needle: wood, bone, and antler were used in the Viking age, but a
tapestry and darning needle will work

• Wool yarn: I find that thicker, fuzzy yarn is best, but and yarn can be used

• Patience and a sense of humor!

The Stitches
There are more than 30 known nålbinding stitches. They are all variations on how the yarn is
taken up onto the needle.

There are 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 use all four for the two stitches covered in this class.

To make things more confusing, there are two methods of doing each stitch; on or off the
thumb. I prefer on thumb, so that’s what I’ll be teaching. There are excellent resources on the
web for learning the off-thumb style.

I am right handed, so the pictures and directions below are for right handed stitching. If you
are left handed, reverse the directions.

Page 2 of 10
Starting
First, you will need to thread your needle. I generally work with 2-3 yards of yarn at a time,
however, I recommend starting with 1-2 at first until you are comfortable with the techniques.

Longer lengths of yarn can be worked more easily if they are folded before being threaded.

As with everything else in nålbinding, there are two methods to starting. On a loop, or with
free chain. Which you use will depend on how you like to work and what you are making. I
typically start with a free chain and will be teaching that method in class. If you want to learn
how to start on a loop, there are excellent guides online, or you can see me another time.

1) Make and overhand knot in your this loop between your left thumb and
yarn. Hold it in your hand with the forefinger.
short tail to the right. Hold the base of
2) Wrap the long end (needle end)
around your thumb, catching the loop.

Page 3 of 10
Joining Threads
Because nålbinding is worked with short lengths of thread it is necessary to know how to felt
together a new piece with your old piece to create a continuous strand. There are several
techniques to do this. I un-ply 1-2 inches of each end, then re-ply them around each other
(creting a section that has twice as much thickness as the original yarn). I then wet this section
(saliva or water) and felt it by pressing it between my hands and rolling. The friction will cause
the fibers to catch and bind each other. I test the section by gently tugging on either side before
continuing to stitch.

Page 4 of 10
York Stitch

Hald: Type II
Hansen: UO/UOO
Norlund: 412

Page 5 of 10
1) Take your needle down towards the
pad of your thumb.

2) Pass through the loop

3) And under both strands wrapping

your thumb

4) Pull your yarn all the way through

until it is almost tight around your
thumb

5) Take the upper (old) thumb wrap

over the tip of your thumb to become the
new loop

6) Pull the yarn wrap tight around your

thumb

7) Continue until you have a chain of

the length you desire

Page 6 of 10
 8) Oslo Stitch

Hald: Type IIa

Hansen: UU/OOO
Norlund: 43

Page 7 of 10
 3) Point the needle down and pass
under the two thumb wrap strands

4) Pull your yarn all the way through

1) Take your needle through the thumb
until it is almost tight around your
loop away from the pad thumb

5) Follow steps 5-7 from York stitch

(pull through, move thumb wrap,
tighten)

2) Rotate the needle 90° to the left - be

sure not to lose the thumb loop

Page 8 of 10
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 Two connections – two stitches are picked
previous round is picked up 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.
Bibliography

Hald, Margrethe. 1980. Ancient Danish Textiles from Bogs And Burials: A Comparative Study
of Costume and Iron Age Textiles. Publications of The National Museum of Denmark.
Archaeological Historical Series XXI. Trans: Jean Olsen. Copenhagen, Denmark.

Hutchinson, Elaine. 1992. Nalebinding: the history origins, construction and use of 'needle-
binding' with specific reference to the 'Coopergate sock’. Regia Anglorum Publications,
1995. http://www.regia.org/naalbind.htm

Ottosdottir, Gudrun. Basic Nålbinding part 1: Oslo Stitch (F1 UO/UOO).

http://www.dilettante.info/nalbindingpages/osloprimer/osloprimer1.htm

Priest-Dorman, Carolyn. 2001. Nålebinding Techniques in the Viking Age.

http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/nalebind.html

Videos of Stitches
*These and many others can be found by searching for nalbinding video on google*

York Stitch:
• http://www.myvideo.de/watch/3570207/Nalbinding_York_stitch_F2_F1_connection
_in_rounds
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gBknsoqi8U

Oslo Stitch:
• http://www.myvideo.de/watch/96171/Der_Oslostich_ein_Nadelbindelehrgang
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_Shz-XymhM

Other Resources
Yahoo Nalbinding Group.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nalbinding/

Lawrence Schmitt – “Lessons in nalbinding” series – instructions and patterns

Mittens, Mittens, Mittens
Lot of Socks
Scarves Wimples and More

Dankbar, Bernhard. Bernards Nadeldinden Page - Pictures of stitches, starting, and joining
http://home.arcor.de/bedankbar/index-eng.htm

Viking History. Nålbinding - Animations and pictures of many stitches

http://viking-history.wetpaint.com/page/N%C3%A5lbinding