# New Adventures in NÃ¥lbinding!!!



## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

So, I learned a new nÃ¥lbinding stitch yesterday. NÃ¥lbinding is an old Scandinavian craft that is a precursor to knitting. I used to know only the "Danish Stitch", but yesterday I learned a Finnish stitch called, apparently, "Suomalaisesta neulakinnastekniikasta". (Yeah, I can't pronounce it either.) It works up a LOT faster than the Danish stitch.

I followed a series of Youtube videos to learn this stitch, and I'm learning how to make a mitten. So far, I have to a little past the thumb hole. 




























And here is pretty much how it looks when you are doing a stitch:










Of course, you hold the needle with your right hand, but you do have loops around your left thumb at all times. And I was taking this picture at the same time, so it's a little difficult to really show. 

Hopefully, I'll be able to finish this mitten tonight, then I get to try to do the second one the same-- there are no real patterns in nÃ¥lbinding.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

Awesome.
I ahve been looking at that stuff as well
as I journey along into all things fibery and looking for my passion.
The incredible minds of our ancestors always blows me away...

Just think about the intracacies of a needle. What a genius to think of putting a hole into the bone stick in order to hold the sinew.
Amazing....


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

That looks like its going to be a very warm mitten!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Gorgeous photos, SvenskaFlicka. 
Did you get a new camera or what? 
Good lighting and everything. :thumb:

I was just about to ask if it was a lefthanded maneuver, then you said it really isn't. 
Those sure look cool, even if it is an unpronouncably named stitch.

Beautiful work and keeping the ancient traditions alive. You rock. :rock:


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## Chaty (Apr 4, 2008)

WOW! What great pictures and work. I would love to learn how to do that but with dial-up internet youtube wont work for me. I wish someone would make a dvd to show how to do this! It sure looks airtight and warm...Wonderful!


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

That is going to be a VERY warm mitten. You can't see light through it. Mom was asking f I was going to felt/full it, but I'm not sure I'd have to.

And yeah, new camera, photographer hubby, learning a little about photography... My dear hubby thinks those photos aren't that great, but he's too nice to outright say it... Just points out the blurs and out-of-focus bits. I'm learning though! 

I love ancient traditions, so much!


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

> I love ancient traditions, so much!


Your good at them too!! You come up with some of the most interesting crafts and projects. :bow:

Like tablet weaving. I never heard of that before.


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## Island of Blueb (Sep 20, 2005)

That is so attractive and interesting. Would love to learn.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

You are sooo talented and I love that stitch!


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

Old toothbrushes? Whatever trips their trigger, I guess... My favorite needle for this is made of deer bone. I think I might make some wooden ones and see how that works here soon. I really think any really large needle would work, long as you can get the yarn through it easily.

Chaty, you got me to thinking last night... I have a good camera, I have a tripod, hubby has an HD camera... maybe when I get a little better at this new stitch, I should make a DVD of learning to nÃ¥lbind. Have it for sale on my website for $5 or something. I'm sure there are other people out there who would like to learn that don't have fast internet! I'm sure I'll need guinea pigs to test my DVDs on, though... just to make sure people can actually understand what is going on.  I have read books and looked at websites with diagrams of different stitches, and really, I am too visual. I needed to see someone else do it.

I highly recommend nÃ¥lbinding! It's fun, easy, very portable, requires no patterns, and it DOESN'T unravel! How cool is that?!? The con of nÃ¥lbinding? Boy, does it ever eat up yarn! :teehee:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

That no patterns part just makes me giddy ! :bouncy:



I feel sorry for those folks who had to choose between clean teeth and warm hands, though. :sob:


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

The A with the Âº? Super easy. Hold down alt on your keyboards, then type 390 on your numberpad. Ã¥ I had to memorize these when I was in school in Sweden, since American keyboards don't have those Ã¤, Ã¥, and Ã¶ keys, lol.

Or you could just type a regular a... no one will care.


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

Ã¥ !!!!! I did it !!!!

Never heard of such a thing .... the NÃ¥lbinding .... way cool !!!


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## Chaty (Apr 4, 2008)

I would definatelly buy 1, I hope you take paypal. I love all things that have to do with fiber and I always have something in my hands. Yes I would get 1... :hystericallus some bone needles too, Its got to look Authentic in my book.


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

Well, I have to make said DVD first... and figure out printing labels, lol. We'll see about sometime this weekend.


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## Chaty (Apr 4, 2008)

Count me in!


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

Svenska - that is very cool! Looks very warm too!


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## cwgrl23 (Feb 19, 2004)

SvenskaFlicka said:


> Well, I have to make said DVD first... and figure out printing labels, lol. We'll see about sometime this weekend.


As someone who used to do wedding videos for a living, let share a tip! Get disks you can print on!!! Those labels that peel and stick will unstick in a dvd player and jam it up. Or the glue will start to degrade the information on the disk. Just thought you should know. Hope this will save you some heart ache! Many computers these days come with lightscribe for the doing the tops of DVDs. That would be better than peel and stick. It would even be better to just write on them with a sharpie then use a sticker. I know lots of people that have had to have expensive electronic equipment taken apart and cleaned to remove the disks, everything from computer to dvd players to car stereos. 

I too have seen Nailbinding done and would be interested in the possibility of purchasing a dvd after the holidays. 

Carrie in SD


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

Great. NOW I have a new skill that I HAVE to go do some research on ! LOL Hey, I'd buy a DVD!

That bone needle is pretty cool.

You all are a bunch of enablers! wahaahahahhahahaha


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

Well, there goes the idea of printing out nice labels... I guess this way I don't have to buy those labels. I'll just use my best penmanship to write on them and label them, since I don't have lightscribe...

We're going to try for filming this weekend. Maybe. Maybe I'll get my dear husband to show me how to use the camera this weekend, and then film on Monday so the nerves don't get to me, lol! 

You guys are all awesome!


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

When you first posted this I was thinking how it would be awesome to learn this technique! I was going to ask, but you already answered it... whether any large needle would work. I just happen to have one! I'd love your DVD too!

NÃ¥lbinding... just wanted to test the symbol out.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I so want to learn NÃ¥lbinding!


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

I'm gonna try it too!!!  Hey, my 'a' didn't work! I held down the alt and typed 390 on my number pad and NOTHING, what'd I do wrong?


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

The NUM LOCK needs to be on.


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## JDog1222 (Aug 19, 2010)

Yep the NUM LOCK was on.........I just figured it out though.........you DON'T need to hit enter after the 390, LOL. Ã¥  

Plus I've been watching YouTubes of NÃ¥lbinding and it looks easy and FUN! Maybe once I get my MS homework done I can try this!


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

I want to learn Naaaaalbinding, but I want to learn how to make that little symbol too!

My caps lock is on, I'm pressing the ALT button, and when I hit the number "3" the "QuickLinks' menu pops down, and the computer dings at me when I hit the numbers 9 and 0.

What am I doing wrong?

ETA: oh wait - it says "numberpad" which I don't have on this little netbook. I only have the numbers across the top... could that be why?


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

Yep that is why. You need a number pad. That is the reason I chose this computer when I got it. Wanted a number pad.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

PKBoo check to see what your iPad has. Mine doesn't have Swedish but it has several other languages. Go to settings/general/keyboard/Engllish and then choose a language. Im not sure if you can get other languages or symbols for the iPad but I bet you can.

Okay just found it. Under keyboard go to international then add new keyboard and choose to your hearts content


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

I have signed up for a NÃ¥lbinding class at Jefferson City in March at the Fiber Festival, but I want to do something besides mittens, something easy, I hope there are other things I can do.


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

You can do socks and hats too! My first project with the old stitch was a hat, then I made socks. 

PKBoo, if you just hold your finger on a vowel on your iPad, you'll get a choice of fun letters to choose from&#8211; you have to slid your finger to select. Ã¥ is easy that way, so is Ã¤, Ã¶, &#339; and other things!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

The things we learn on the Fiber Forum


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

I ran a YouTube search on NÃ¥lbinding... I need a better video... preferably in English!!! :ashamed:

(surprisingly, I started to pick up a few of the words after the constant repetition)


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

I do NOT need a new project, I do NOT need a new project, I do NOT need a new project...bah, it didn't work. I'm going to have to add NÃ¥lbinding to my queue.:bouncy: Thanks for the pictures.


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## stef (Sep 14, 2002)

You know how you sometimes _think_ you see something? 

Well, I thought the topic of this thread was '_nailbinding_'! 

Hey, I wouldn't put anything past this group. ound:


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

I know people who call it that... One lay was convinced the proper tool was a nail with a hole drilled in it... I couldn't convince her "nÃ¥l" in Swedish means "needle". 

I did not make a DVD today... I have the flu. Phooey. Soon!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Oh feel better SvenskaFlicka


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## Chaty (Apr 4, 2008)

Hope you get better soon.


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

I hope you feel better soon.

Just out of curiosity, where do you find needles like those?


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

I am feeling a lot better than when I first woke up, that's for sure.  

As for the needles, well, a friend of mine made mine for me, but sometimes I manage to get some and have them for sale. My husband is going to make some for me in a few weeks if possible.


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

After seeing your awesome mittens you were working on, I had to put learning this on my to-do list. I actually hadn't planned on doing it for a while, but I had some spare time yesterday and ended up on Youtube watching videos, and next thing you know I had a needle and some yarn and started to work. This is my result so far:



It isn't anything, just a practice tube. These are the videos that I started with, and they are in English. 

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLWq2QeS34Y"]Part 1[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAAfcA8Ipn0"]Part 2[/ame]

So now that I have started, I had a couple of questions. What do you do with the beginning part? It looks kind of messy. It looked like they stretched it out and squared it off, but mine still doesn't look like much. And second, the videos and tutorials I have seen mentioned using saliva to join the yarn pieces, but could you do water? Considering the amount of joins that you have to do with it, it seems like your hands would get icky pretty quick. Are there superior binding properties of saliva, or is it just convenient?

Thanks for introducing this to me, it's been interesting to play around with.


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

You have a great start there! Very cool! 

I started at the tip of the mitten, but one video I watched showed leaving a long tail then stitching it in to make a smooth end when you start in the round. I'll find the video tomorrow.

As for joining yarn ends, I've been tying knots close to my work when the ends get short, then weaving in the ends afterwards. :teehee: I suppose you could use water, :shrug: . 

I did finish the first mitten. Pics tomorrow!


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

Lol, well that definitely sounds better than spitting all over your hands. :yuck: I know that I had seen pictures of older people spinning and they made their joins with saliva, and it does work, but that is with a lot fewer joins than this uses. :hrm: I look forward to seeing your mittens! I figure that I am going to start with a hat too, it looks like the easiest thing to make.


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

I did it... I picked up a needle and actually tried this! I think, as with anything, there must be a bit of a learning curve, cause my 'stitches' or loops, or knots, whatever they are, aren't straight. I have a lot of questions though. I actually figured out myself how to go about increasing and in the vids above, he shows how to decrease. But he makes hats from the brim up, and I've always preferred to go from top, down. So, SvenskaFlicka, how do you start from the top? Small diameter...

Also, I've seen you making mittens, I can figure out how to create the thumb opening, but how do you attach to create the thumb itself? Just wondering.


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

Falls-acre, here is the video I used to start at the top of the mitten, for a round start: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Znmp_bFRAak&list=UUzZjQa5bQ9479V6Sk1n5gwg&index=10"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Znmp_bFRAak&list=UUzZjQa5bQ9479V6Sk1n5gwg&index=10[/ame]

It works pretty well, and would be the better choice for starting a hat than at the brim. Though, the brim could also work pretty well-- I just haven't tried it. Basically, you do a whole lot of stitches in the same loop, then pull that loop closed and tight. Easy-peasy.

As for starting the thumb, well, you really do have to start at the open loop on the mitten and work your way to the tip. But it's easy! There is a video about that from the same person who made the video I just posted.

On a side note, I finally took and uploaded pictures of the finished mitten!










And a close-up of the thumb:









My current task is to finish the second mitten. It's taking longer than the first, because I reach for my knitting first. :ashamed:


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