'Look that you bind them fast': Nalbinding Workshop

Directed by Carey Fleiner

When: Monday 01 July, 19.00-21.00
Where: University House: Beechgrove Room
Price: £35.00

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.

In this workshop, participants will learn 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 and 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, especially in the Classical period. In practice, she enjoys cotton-spinning on the charkha, wool-combing, and working with exotic fibres and blends.

Visit her website: https://cdfleiner.com and follow her on Instagram (Twitter/X) @AugustaAtrox

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