A Knitter Learns to Nalbind
Project Specs:
Yarn Used: I'm really not sure... One of them is Lion's Brand Heartland in Mustard and one of them was purchased so long ago that I don't have its name etc anymore.
1 skein each color of 251 yds each
1 plastic tapestry needle
Length at longest point: Socks- 10 inches, Mittens- 8 inches
Width at widest point: Socks- 4 inches, Mittens- 4.5 inches
Number of visible mistakes: ehhhh..
First event attended: Who even knows anymore? Does time mean anything?
I have been knitting for about 15 years now. I am aware I don't look old enough to have been doing anything for 15 years, but that's the case. To this end, I will admit to having been a bit trepidatious about nalbinding. I was making a concerted effort to stay away from fiber projects while I devoted time to my sewing and embroidery pursuits.
And then COVID-19 happened.
I am lucky enough to have a mundane job that I both love AND can be done from the comfort of my apartment. Working from home does mean I had a bit more time on my hands and I was looking forward to spending it on A&S. As it turned out, that turned into coordinating the online classes and engagement for Ponte Alto. It's been an amazing experience to help keep my friends engaged and to see them on a regular basis, and as the weeks continued, coordinating A&S classes is really what kept me centered.
One of the most requested classes was an introductory nalbinding class. With a little digging, I was able to find an incredible teacher for us, Magistra Sigrid, and what was supposed to be a single class turned into an engaging series of classes through which we worked on socks and mittens, and I was dragged back to my first A&S love- yarn. We spent this series working on Mammen stitch, though discussion of Corrigan and Oslo did occur regularly.
Because I'm a glutton for punishment, I worked through BOTH a pair of socks and a pair of mittens. To no surprise, I found nalbinding a rewarding break from embroidery and garb. It's utilitarian (this is the fastest pair of socks I have ever made), great for cold weather (and boy do we get that in Virginia), and adds a touch of authenticity and period accuracy that I appreciate.
The biggest difference and I think the biggest pro, to nalbinding is its stability, since it is based on a series of knots, not on a series of interconnected loops like knitting. This gives a very sturdy construction, and even if a splice of new yarn doesn't hold (which because I was using acrylic, of course, they regularly didn't), it's not a tragedy. I was very happy that the concept of maintaining even tension translated over well. Nalbinding is also significantly faster than knitting is.
On the other hand, I definitely struggled with the lack of accountability for the number of stitches. Being a knitter, I like to keep track of shaping, etc. by knowing that at Point A, I need to have X number of stitches, and by Point B, to achieve the shape I want, I need to have Y number. That's a lot harder with nalbinding. I'm sure there's a method, but my brain isn't wrapping around it quite as I want it to. I assume charts are involved going forward, but charts are a big part of why I don't do colorwork so I don't see myself sticking with nalbinding over knitting long term.
Ultimately, I walked away from the series with a decent pair of wool socks, and an actually nice pair of mittens (in Ponte Alto gold!) so I'm calling it a success.
