Last year, at the Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival, I picked up a nålebinding needle.  Nålebinding is a type of fiber craft that predates both knitting and crochet.  It’s also called needle binding (a direct translation of the word) or one needle knitting.  It was used in the Viking age in Scandinavia.  However, the term didn’t come into use until the 1970s.

At the time that I got my needle, I was writing a novel whose main character was from Norway.  He had learned nålebinding from his mother and was making something from it during the course of the story.  I decided that, in order to better understand the craft, I should learn how to do it.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to learn the craft at that time.  There was simply too much going on that required my attention.  Now, though, I’ve got time and I’m going to put it to good use.  I found a pattern online to make a small bag using what is called the Oslo Stitch.  It’s made in a round of 36 stitches and it’s only twelve rounds.  I figure, even though I still haven’t quite learned what I’m doing, it won’t take me long and I’ll be able to get an idea how to use my nålebinding needle.  Once I’ve figured out the Oslo Stitch, I’ll see if I can find a project to learn some of the other stitches on.  So far, I know of three other stitches.