Nålbinding is a fiber looping technique that is widely seen across the continents, centuries, and ages of technological development. The earliest nålbinding piece discovered thus far is from Israel and dates back 10,000 years predating knitting and crocheting by 7,000 years. The technique was widely used during the Viking era to create warm, dense garments and accessories that would withstand hard, prolonged use on the open seas, and provide warmth when wet, as well as to create more delicate wearables. The craft is alive and well in Scandinavia and other areas today, and there are artists and historical re-enactment enthusiasts worldwide who are passionate about preserving this ancient technique.

We were introduced to nålbinding at The Viking Museum in Stockholm where a young lady was demonstrating the technique. As a retired archaeologist and fiber artist, I was fascinated and resolved to learn more during our visit. Later, at the Gamla Uppsala Viking mounds site, we acquired not only an instruction book published in English, but bone nålbinding needles. Thus began our quest to master this ancient form of fiber art that was no doubt practiced by generations of my Swedish ancestors. As we soon learned, this was no easy task as nålbinding is best learned through one-on-one instruction.

With the help of the instruction book we had acquired, and the time afforded by the long journey across Sweden and Norway to Bergen, we muddled through and were able to learn the basics of the technique. Sadly, we created many wrist warmers, no two of which were the same size.

As our interest in the technique grew, we developed a love affair with the needles we were using that warmed so wonderfully in our hands and envisioned raising them to a much more visually appealing level. What evolved is our current line of bone and wooden nalbinding needles embellished with bind runes and other runic symbols. The bind runes have special meaning and are carefully selected by their users.