Cowl in nalbinding

I have been nalbinding and this is the result - a cowl. I used some old 2-ply wool yarn and bound a fairly loose fabric in the shape of a tube. Circumference 80 cm (about 32 inches) and 40 cm in length (about 16 inches). A total of 140 grams of yarn was used.
After washing and a light fulling the finished cowl measures 75 cm (30 inches) in circumference and 37 cm (about 15 inches) in lenght. I used the Brodén stitch.

Hat in nalbinding

Writing the post about books on nalbinding made me realise that it was a long time since I did some nalbinding. I decided to make a hat. I had to practice a bit before starting on the hat, but I soon got the knack of it again.

I made it large since I had decided to full it when finished. The result is as intended, thick and warm but I will have to wait until winter before using it.

Böcker om nålbindning / Books on Nalbinding (mostly Swedish ones)

Märta Brodén - Nålbindning, first and second edition

I have long thought about writing a post about books on nalbinding ("Nålbindning" in Swedish). Books on nalbinding is a bit of a contradiction since the technique has been passed down through generations by oral tradition (and hands-on instructions) for thousands of years. I got some understanding of the technique by reading lots of books about nalbinding, but it wasn't until I took a course by Eva Andersson (you can read about her book in this post) that the information turned into a understandable whole. At this moment I only know the basics, and I really would love to have more time to dig deeper into this technique. It is nice to know that I will never lack something to occupy my time with when I have retired.
The first book in this list is Märta Brodéns "Nålbindning". It was first released in 1973 on LTs förlag and then a second edition in 1978 with an expanded section about the history of nalbinding by Sofia Danielsson from the Nordiska Museet in Stockholm. 

Märta Brodén - Nålbindning

Märta Brodén was born in Delsbo in Hälsingland. Her book is about showing the technique as it was carried out there. There are also models/patterns for socks (for children and grown-ups), mittens, hats and sweaters as well as how to make them warmer and more durable by felting them when finished.
It is a Swedish classic. The stitch used in this book is one of the most common in Sweden and it has many various names depending in which part of Sweden it is used. But it more and more has become known as the "Brodén stitch"

Eva Anderson - Nålbindning - Historiskt och modernt i Stockholms Län

Eva Anderson´s book "Nålbindning - Historiskt och modernt i Stockholms Län" is all about the nalbinding traditions in the Stockholm area of Sweden. The book was published in 2009 by Länshemslöjdskonsulenterna. Eva Anderson has worked as a "hemslöjdkonsulent" (craft advisor) in Stockholm 1970-2008. In her work she has learned the technique from many and intense contacts with the Sorunda craft association. Her book is strongly influenced by the Sorunda nalbinding traditions.

Lägg till bildtext

The different techniques that she describes in her book are called: Sorunda I, Sorunda II, Fullbro, Stutby, Norrtälje, Brottby and Södertälje. I am not able to give the alternate and more "international" terms for them. The book also has examples on how the mittens were decorated with embroidery. I really like this book and find it very useful. Of course my opinion in this case is due to the fact that I learned how to nalbind from Eva Anderson.

Söma, nåla, binda - Nålbundet från Uppland

The book "Söma, nåla, binda - Nålbundet från Uppland" was released in 2003 by Upplandsmuseet. The book stems from an inventory in Uppland (old viking area surrounding Uppsala) made by the museum. It has descriptions for 15 different variations of nalbinding that all have been found or documented in Uppland. The instructions for the mittens in this book have been named after the locations where they were found.

Söma, nåla, binda - Nålbundet från Uppland

This book, as well as Eva Anderson´s, also has chapters on the benefits of using good quality wool when making mittens today as well as some history of the nalbinding traditions in the region. A very good book.

Kerstin Paradis Gustafsson - "Nålbindning - Nu och då"

Kerstin Paradis Gustafsson´s "Nålbindning - Nu och då" is a rather recent book, published in 2015. Kerstin first came in contact with nalbinding in 1961 and has since been an advocate for the technique. The different variations that she presents in this book has each been named after the woman who taught Kerstin the stitch. She also has a chapter about the "Åsle"-mitten and its technique.

Kerstin Paradis Gustafsson - "Nålbindning - Nu och då"

Louise Ström - Sömade vantar från Spångmurs

"Sömade vantar från Spångmurs" by Louise Ström is a brief instruction on the basics of nalbinding that works very well.

Louise Ström - Sömade vantar från Spångmurs

The most impressive feature of this pamphlet is that Louise has instructions on how to nalbind both for right- and lefthanded persons. I have never seen that anywhere else. A very good initiative.

Nusse Mellgren "Nålbindning - Steg för steg / Nålbindning - The easiest, clearest ever guide!"

Nusse Mellgren´s pamphlet "Nålbindning - Steg för steg / Nålbindning - The easiest, clearest ever guide!" of 20 pages has a very good combination of text and pictures that gives a good introduction to basic nalbinding. It concentrates on basic technique and also features a brief instruction on how to make a hat. It was first published in 2003. My edition is from 2008. It is pretty popular so perhaps there is a more recent edition available now.

Nusse Mellgren "Nålbindning - Steg för steg / Nålbindning - The easiest, clearest ever guide!"

All the texts are in Swedish and English. A very good initiative as always.

Berit Westman - "Nålbindning - 12 varianter"

Berit Westman - "Nålbindning - 12 varianter" is a Swedish classic first published in 1983. In 2001 it was revised and published by Västmanlands läns hemslöjdsförbund.The book is partly a result of an inventory of the traditions of nalbinding in Västmanland made in 1984-1985 by Berit.

Berit Westman - "Nålbindning - 12 varianter"

Both editions are no-nonsense hands on combination of text and picture instructions on 12 different nalbinding stitches. There are also instructions for mittens and socks. Most featured stitches are Swedish but there are also some that originate from Finland.

Elisabeth Jacks Svantesson "Vinterblomster - Nålbundna vantar från Dalby i Värmland"

Elisabeth Jacks Svantesson´s book "Vinterblomster - Nålbundna vantar från Dalby i Värmland" is a fantastic book from 2011. This is not a book on how to nalbind. it is a book about the nalbound mittens from Dalby, Värmland and the women who made them. It all started in the 1980's when Elisabeth Jacks Svantesson made an inventory of the nalbound mittens in Värmland.

Elisabeth Jacks Svantesson "Vinterblomster - Nålbundna vantar från Dalby i Värmland"

The presentations of the women and the pictures of the mittens as well as the information about the traditions makes this book a very nice read. Perhaps was this the last generation that continues the long standing nalbinding tradition of Dalby.

Helga Steffensen - Lär dig nålbindning

Helga Steffensen - "Lär dig nålbindning" is a Danish book first published in Swedish in 1976. It is often referred to as one of the first book about nalbinding in Swedish.

Helga Steffensen - Lär dig nålbindning

This book has some interesting information, but it is not the book I would choose if I was to learn nalbinding.

Odd Nordland's "Primitive Scandinavian Textiles in Knottless netting"

Odd Nordland's "Primitive Scandinavian Textiles in Knottless netting" is a very interesting book presenting a survey of knotless netting in Scandinavia. It is first-most a book on textile history and not instructions on how to execute the different techniques.

I would say that this is a book for those interested in textile history from the scientific point of view. But, the is of course a lot interesting information to be found here. I don't know if the author's views are substantiated or refuted.

Kerstin Gustafsson - Gamla textila tekniker i ull

Kerstin Gustafsson's "Gamla textila tekniker i ull" is a favourite of mine when it comes to books about textile techniques. This books has a chapter on nalbinding that I suppose is the origin of the book that Kerstin released in 2015 (see above, "Nålbindning- Nu och då". But it also has chapters about crochet, knitting and different kinds of bands (woven, braided and others). If you find a copy of this to a reasonable price I would advice you to buy it.

Kerstin Gustafsson - Gamla textila tekniker i ull

Berit Westman - Nålbindning, krokning och smygmaskvirkning

Berit Westman - Nålbindning, krokning och smygmaskvirkning from 1983 also deals with multiple textile techniques, nalbinding, tunisian crochet and shepherd's knitting. it is a nice introduction to all of the techniques. The nalbinding section has an introduction to basic stitch and a pattern for mittens.

Berit Westman - Nålbindning, krokning och smygmaskvirkning

Ingers och Westerberg - Gamla tekniker med enkla redskap

Gertrud Ingers and Viola Westerberg's "Gamla tekniker med enkla redskap" from 1973 has 7 pages on a basic nalbinding stitch.

Ingers och Westerberg - Gamla tekniker med enkla redskap

 

Sörmlandsbygden 2006

"Sörmlandsbygden" is an annual book from Södermanlands hembygdsförbund. This one, from 2006, has a chapter on the textile traditions of Sorunda in the 20th century, "Sorundas textile tradition under 1900-talet", written by Eva Anderson (author of "Nålbindning - Historiskt och modernt i Stockholms Län"). No nalbinding instructions, but interesting reading.

Sörmlandsbygden 2006

Sörmlandsbygden 2011

"Sörmlandsbygden 2011" has an article called "Vantarna i garderoben" by Lille-Mor Boman where she writes of a childhood memory of a pair of nalbound mittens. She also tells about how nalbound mittens were used during the 1930's and 1940's. The information comes from interviews made in connection with an inventory in the 1970's. 

Sörmlandsbygden 2011

She also provides instructions for three stitches common in Sörmland: Varsta, Näshult and Näs.

Hemmets handarbetslexikon

Finally a reference-book: "Hemmets handarbetslexikon" (an encyclopedia) volume 11, pages 83-87. a short intro to nalbinding and its history.

Hemmets handarbetslexikon

My other posts on nålbindning/nalbinding.

Recycling

This was a salad set, but the wood cracked so it was useless. When we were about to get rid of it I got the idea that it could be turned it into needles for nalbinding. The result is not bad. After a lot of sandpapering and polishing I have two new needles. I gave them a finish with olive oil because the wood looked a bit "dry". I´ll save the remains of the salad set - I might need more needles (not very likely) or something to do a rainy day.

Needles for Nalbinding (Nålbindningsnålar)

I have made needles for nalbinding with the help of my brother in law who has access to some woodworking machines. I asked him to prepare some pieces of wood, as blanks, so that I could make some needles for nalbinding. I did the shaping and the final "finish".

These four are made from ash. In old Nordic mythology the immense tree Yggdrasil was an ash tree. Since nalbinding in Sweden goes back to the Viking era I find it fitting to have needles made from an Ash tree.

These three are made from Beech. 

 These are made from wood from Thailand. I do not know the species.

Brown Hat in Nalbinding (Nålbindning)

Making hats is a god way to try new stitches in nalbinding. The stitch used this time is often called "Dalby". I found a good description of it in the book "Gamla textila tekniker i ull" by Kerstin Gustafsson. It is described in a chapter called "Nålbindning efter Maj" (Nalbinding according to Maj). The stitch is common in the Dalby-area in the north of Värmland, Sweden.

The yarn used is a loosely spun single in 100 % wool, "Samo" from Marks & Kattens. I found it a little too loose, but I got used to it. This finished result is OK and dense enough to be warm and cosy.

I made the hat "long" enough so that one can fold the bottom part of it into a cuff, to get more warmth.

When it was finished I dyed it brown, and I am very pleased with the result. I found the Dalby stitch easy to execute. Done with a thinner yarn it would probably also make excellent mittens.

Hat in nalbinding (nålbindning)

I bought fantastic yarn from Wålstedts that I wanted to test for nalbinding. It is a s-plied, 2-ply, rather thick (Nm 3/2) yarn. I needed a very warm hat so I used the yarn double while making it. The result is dense and almost wind proof. I had decided to let let the structure of the stitches show.

To get a denser result I wrapped the yarn around the needle instead of the thumb. That way I did not need to full it afterwards. The stitch I used is number one in Westman´s book "Nålbindning - 12 varianter"