Naalbinding

Naalbinding (Nalbinding, nadelbindung, "woven with a needle", stitched, knotless knitting,...)is a technique that produuces materials that look somewhat like they've been knitted, but have actually been created by a different technique. The naalbinding technique predates the development of kniting, and has been known from chinese hats from 1000BC, in europe from at least the 1st Century AD, was used by the coptic (egypt) peoples for socks the vikings for socks and mittens, in the middle medieval period was used to make very fine gloves and hose, and continued in minor use after the 16th Century in items such as milk strainers and rugs as well as traditional items.

For this technique, you'll need a largish, preferably blunt, needle, and whatever yarn you like--preferably wool. Naalbinding is worked by pulling the entire length of the yarn through every stitch, so you need to work with shorter pieces; about 18 inches (40 cm) is good, although some experts work with lengths of 3m (beginner's don't try this at home). Additional lengths of yarn can be joined by a variety of techniques - splicing is a traditional favourite for many wools, techniques for binding ends together or weave their ends in tend to be used for yarns that refuse to splice. Whatever works.

Naalbinding produces a fairly tight fabric, and unlike knitting doesn't ladder when you drop a stitch. (A to distinguish it from knitting which older books frequently mislabel it as). It shapes easily, and is an ideal candidate for socks, mittens, and the like. It's slow to work.

External links: Basic instructions:

• Phiala's String Page--Naalbinding

• http://www.norsefolk.com/clothing/nalbinding.html

• http://www.dilettante.info/nalbindingmain.htm (Click on the Oslo stitch primer link, which is near the bottom of the page. It is a pdf, but well worth the wait for it to download)

• http://www.nadelbinden.de.vu/ (German site, scroll down and pick the English side)

Historical examples: http://www.dueppel.de/nadelbind/nadelbkat.htm