What is Nalbinding?

What is Nalbinding? Before knitting or crochet, stretchy textiles were created using nalbinding (also spelled nalebinding, naalbinding, or nålbinding). The oldest samples of nalebinding have been dated back to 300BCE, and examples of the art have been found in Peru, Egypt, and Scandinavia. It is sometimes called Viking Knitting, as it was in widespread use among many Scandinavian cultures. It is still practiced today, both by historical re-creators, craft enthusiasts, and by craftspeople in Peru and Scandinavia.

Nalbinding is done with a single needle, a large flattish needle with an eye - it is possible to nalbind with a darning needle. Short lengths of yarn are formed into rows of interlocking loops, which are built up in a spiral, row on row, to make tubular pieces of fabric which can be made into mittens, socks, hats, and so on.

There are many different nalebinding stitches, each giving a different look to a finished piece. Many of these stitches have been carefully reconstructed from archaeological finds - for example York stitch, which was reconstructed from a 10th-century sock found in excavations at Coppergate in York.

Stitches are designated by a code (the Hansen classification) identifying whether the yarn passes under or over the previous loops. For example Oslo stitch is UO/UOO, meaning the working yarn is passed under the first loop and over the second, changes direction, then passes under, over and over the next loops. All nalbinding stitches can be classified this way.

Unlike knitting or crochet, the whole of the working yarn is pulled through the stitch as it is worked. This means that short lengths of yarn are used, which are joined together as the work progresses. For this reason, nalebinding is usually done with wool or other animal fibres, which can be easily and quickly attached together using a felted join.

Nalebinding is a relaxing and rewarding craft. Though it is more time consuming than knitting or crochet, the finished fabric is generally denser, warmer, and stronger than knitted or crochet fabrics. Learning to nalebind also brings the sense of reconnecting to a primitive craft, and creating useful and attractive garments in the same way that our ancestors did.

Nalbinding, though easy to do once learned, can be difficult to learn from pictures and explanations alone, but luckily there are some nalbinding video tutorials available online.