'Look that you bind them fast': Nalbinding Workshop

When: Monday 06 July, 19.00-21.00
Where: University House: Beechgrove Room
Open to: IMC Delegates
Price: £46.50
How to Book: Advance Booking Required via IMC Registration

Directed by Carey Fleiner

Nalbinding is a fabric-creation technique that predates both knitting and crochet. Also known as 'knotless knitting', this technique involves passing the full length of the working thread through each loop. Completed lengths then must be pieced together to complete the finished work. Although the process of nalbinding is distinct from knitting or crochet, archaeological specimens of fabric made by nalbinding can be difficult to distinguish from knitted fabric. Historically, needles for nalbinding were made out of wood, antler, or bone.

In Scandinavia during the Viking Age, nalbinding was used to create garments. A famous piece of nalbinding, the 'Coppergate sock', was found during an excavation of the Coppergate area of York, demonstrating clear Viking influence in Yorkshire. The sock is on display at the JORVIK Viking Centre in York.

In this workshop, participants will learn several stitches, including the stitch used to create the Coppergate sock. All materials will be supplied, and participants will be able to keep their needles. No previous experience of any sort of textile work is needed.

Carey Fleiner is currently Senior Lecturer in Classical (Roman) History at the University of Winchester. Her areas of research include Roman women as well as entertainment and sport in the Classical world. She learnt to embroider, knit, and crochet as a child and later learnt spinning, weaving, and nalbinding. She has exhibited and won awards for her work, especially throughout the United States. She is keen on the history of textiles and techniques of all sorts and demonstrates textile practice at heritage sites such as Fishbourne Roman Palace (UK) and Campus Galli (Germany). She gives talks and workshops on ancient and medieval textile techniques including nalbinding, spindle-spinning, sprang, and weaving on the warp-weighted loom.

Follow her on Instagram and Facebook @AugustaAtrox.

This workshop can only accommodate a limited number of participants. Early booking is recommended.