Böcker om nålbindning / Books on Nalbinding (mostly Swedish ones)

Märta Brodén - Nålbindning, first and second edition

I have long thought about writing a post about books on nalbinding ("Nålbindning" in Swedish). Books on nalbinding is a bit of a contradiction since the technique has been passed down through generations by oral tradition (and hands-on instructions) for thousands of years. I got some understanding of the technique by reading lots of books about nalbinding, but it wasn't until I took a course by Eva Andersson (you can read about her book in this post) that the information turned into a understandable whole. At this moment I only know the basics, and I really would love to have more time to dig deeper into this technique. It is nice to know that I will never lack something to occupy my time with when I have retired.
The first book in this list is Märta Brodéns "Nålbindning". It was first released in 1973 on LTs förlag and then a second edition in 1978 with an expanded section about the history of nalbinding by Sofia Danielsson from the Nordiska Museet in Stockholm. 

Märta Brodén - Nålbindning

Märta Brodén was born in Delsbo in Hälsingland. Her book is about showing the technique as it was carried out there. There are also models/patterns for socks (for children and grown-ups), mittens, hats and sweaters as well as how to make them warmer and more durable by felting them when finished.
It is a Swedish classic. The stitch used in this book is one of the most common in Sweden and it has many various names depending in which part of Sweden it is used. But it more and more has become known as the "Brodén stitch"

Eva Anderson - Nålbindning - Historiskt och modernt i Stockholms Län

Eva Anderson´s book "Nålbindning - Historiskt och modernt i Stockholms Län" is all about the nalbinding traditions in the Stockholm area of Sweden. The book was published in 2009 by Länshemslöjdskonsulenterna. Eva Anderson has worked as a "hemslöjdkonsulent" (craft advisor) in Stockholm 1970-2008. In her work she has learned the technique from many and intense contacts with the Sorunda craft association. Her book is strongly influenced by the Sorunda nalbinding traditions.

Lägg till bildtext

The different techniques that she describes in her book are called: Sorunda I, Sorunda II, Fullbro, Stutby, Norrtälje, Brottby and Södertälje. I am not able to give the alternate and more "international" terms for them. The book also has examples on how the mittens were decorated with embroidery. I really like this book and find it very useful. Of course my opinion in this case is due to the fact that I learned how to nalbind from Eva Anderson.

Söma, nåla, binda - Nålbundet från Uppland

The book "Söma, nåla, binda - Nålbundet från Uppland" was released in 2003 by Upplandsmuseet. The book stems from an inventory in Uppland (old viking area surrounding Uppsala) made by the museum. It has descriptions for 15 different variations of nalbinding that all have been found or documented in Uppland. The instructions for the mittens in this book have been named after the locations where they were found.

Söma, nåla, binda - Nålbundet från Uppland

This book, as well as Eva Anderson´s, also has chapters on the benefits of using good quality wool when making mittens today as well as some history of the nalbinding traditions in the region. A very good book.

Kerstin Paradis Gustafsson - "Nålbindning - Nu och då"

Kerstin Paradis Gustafsson´s "Nålbindning - Nu och då" is a rather recent book, published in 2015. Kerstin first came in contact with nalbinding in 1961 and has since been an advocate for the technique. The different variations that she presents in this book has each been named after the woman who taught Kerstin the stitch. She also has a chapter about the "Åsle"-mitten and its technique.

Kerstin Paradis Gustafsson - "Nålbindning - Nu och då"

Louise Ström - Sömade vantar från Spångmurs

"Sömade vantar från Spångmurs" by Louise Ström is a brief instruction on the basics of nalbinding that works very well.

Louise Ström - Sömade vantar från Spångmurs

The most impressive feature of this pamphlet is that Louise has instructions on how to nalbind both for right- and lefthanded persons. I have never seen that anywhere else. A very good initiative.

Nusse Mellgren "Nålbindning - Steg för steg / Nålbindning - The easiest, clearest ever guide!"

Nusse Mellgren´s pamphlet "Nålbindning - Steg för steg / Nålbindning - The easiest, clearest ever guide!" of 20 pages has a very good combination of text and pictures that gives a good introduction to basic nalbinding. It concentrates on basic technique and also features a brief instruction on how to make a hat. It was first published in 2003. My edition is from 2008. It is pretty popular so perhaps there is a more recent edition available now.

Nusse Mellgren "Nålbindning - Steg för steg / Nålbindning - The easiest, clearest ever guide!"

All the texts are in Swedish and English. A very good initiative as always.

Berit Westman - "Nålbindning - 12 varianter"

Berit Westman - "Nålbindning - 12 varianter" is a Swedish classic first published in 1983. In 2001 it was revised and published by Västmanlands läns hemslöjdsförbund.The book is partly a result of an inventory of the traditions of nalbinding in Västmanland made in 1984-1985 by Berit.

Berit Westman - "Nålbindning - 12 varianter"

Both editions are no-nonsense hands on combination of text and picture instructions on 12 different nalbinding stitches. There are also instructions for mittens and socks. Most featured stitches are Swedish but there are also some that originate from Finland.

Elisabeth Jacks Svantesson "Vinterblomster - Nålbundna vantar från Dalby i Värmland"

Elisabeth Jacks Svantesson´s book "Vinterblomster - Nålbundna vantar från Dalby i Värmland" is a fantastic book from 2011. This is not a book on how to nalbind. it is a book about the nalbound mittens from Dalby, Värmland and the women who made them. It all started in the 1980's when Elisabeth Jacks Svantesson made an inventory of the nalbound mittens in Värmland.

Elisabeth Jacks Svantesson "Vinterblomster - Nålbundna vantar från Dalby i Värmland"

The presentations of the women and the pictures of the mittens as well as the information about the traditions makes this book a very nice read. Perhaps was this the last generation that continues the long standing nalbinding tradition of Dalby.

Helga Steffensen - Lär dig nålbindning

Helga Steffensen - "Lär dig nålbindning" is a Danish book first published in Swedish in 1976. It is often referred to as one of the first book about nalbinding in Swedish.

Helga Steffensen - Lär dig nålbindning

This book has some interesting information, but it is not the book I would choose if I was to learn nalbinding.

Odd Nordland's "Primitive Scandinavian Textiles in Knottless netting"

Odd Nordland's "Primitive Scandinavian Textiles in Knottless netting" is a very interesting book presenting a survey of knotless netting in Scandinavia. It is first-most a book on textile history and not instructions on how to execute the different techniques.

I would say that this is a book for those interested in textile history from the scientific point of view. But, the is of course a lot interesting information to be found here. I don't know if the author's views are substantiated or refuted.

Kerstin Gustafsson - Gamla textila tekniker i ull

Kerstin Gustafsson's "Gamla textila tekniker i ull" is a favourite of mine when it comes to books about textile techniques. This books has a chapter on nalbinding that I suppose is the origin of the book that Kerstin released in 2015 (see above, "Nålbindning- Nu och då". But it also has chapters about crochet, knitting and different kinds of bands (woven, braided and others). If you find a copy of this to a reasonable price I would advice you to buy it.

Kerstin Gustafsson - Gamla textila tekniker i ull

Berit Westman - Nålbindning, krokning och smygmaskvirkning

Berit Westman - Nålbindning, krokning och smygmaskvirkning from 1983 also deals with multiple textile techniques, nalbinding, tunisian crochet and shepherd's knitting. it is a nice introduction to all of the techniques. The nalbinding section has an introduction to basic stitch and a pattern for mittens.

Berit Westman - Nålbindning, krokning och smygmaskvirkning

Ingers och Westerberg - Gamla tekniker med enkla redskap

Gertrud Ingers and Viola Westerberg's "Gamla tekniker med enkla redskap" from 1973 has 7 pages on a basic nalbinding stitch.

Ingers och Westerberg - Gamla tekniker med enkla redskap

 

Sörmlandsbygden 2006

"Sörmlandsbygden" is an annual book from Södermanlands hembygdsförbund. This one, from 2006, has a chapter on the textile traditions of Sorunda in the 20th century, "Sorundas textile tradition under 1900-talet", written by Eva Anderson (author of "Nålbindning - Historiskt och modernt i Stockholms Län"). No nalbinding instructions, but interesting reading.

Sörmlandsbygden 2006

Sörmlandsbygden 2011

"Sörmlandsbygden 2011" has an article called "Vantarna i garderoben" by Lille-Mor Boman where she writes of a childhood memory of a pair of nalbound mittens. She also tells about how nalbound mittens were used during the 1930's and 1940's. The information comes from interviews made in connection with an inventory in the 1970's. 

Sörmlandsbygden 2011

She also provides instructions for three stitches common in Sörmland: Varsta, Näshult and Näs.

Hemmets handarbetslexikon

Finally a reference-book: "Hemmets handarbetslexikon" (an encyclopedia) volume 11, pages 83-87. a short intro to nalbinding and its history.

Hemmets handarbetslexikon

My other posts on nålbindning/nalbinding.

Books on Estonian knitting and textile traditions

Reet Piiri, Estonian National Museum - Estonian Gloves

In 2012 I wrote a post called "Pitsilised koekirjad - A book not often found, and other books on Estonian knitting". Since then we have added some Estonian books to our collection, here is a post about some of them.

Reet Piiri, Estonian National Museum - Estonian Gloves

"Estonian Gloves" compiled by Reet Piiri 2002 contains colour photos of more than 20 mittens and gloves in the Estonian National Museum. Its 30 pages (it is a pamphlet, not a book) have texts (in English) and pictures about different mittens (all knitted except two pairs in nalbinding). The texts are very short and in many aspects I would have liked to have much more information. None the less a very interesting book. Only pictures and texts - no charts or patterns.

Anu Raud and Anu Kotli - Kiri Kari / Pattern Puppets

Anu Raud and Anu Kotli's "Kiri Kari" was published in 2010. We first bought this book in an Estonian edition just to get the patterns. We were rather frustrated not being able to understand the written instructions. We tried to figure out how to knit these only by using the charts. Then came an English version, "Pattern Puppets" in 2013, that made everything so much easier.

Anu Raud and Anu Kotli - Kiri Kari / Pattern Puppets

The puppets are lovely. They should make very nice gifts if you could part from them.The book also contains a load of charted traditional Estonian knitting patterns. Not bad at all!

Anu Raud and Anu Kotli - Kiri Kari / Pattern Puppets

In 2013 another fantastic book was published. "Suur kindaraamat - Eesti kihelkondade mustrid" by Reet Piiri is a fantastic mitten book.

"Suur kindaraamat - Eesti kihelkondade mustrid" by Reet Piiri

This book containes almost 400 pages of photos of mittens and a chart for the pattern of each of them. There is not much text. It has an introduction in Estonian and an English text at the end "Estonian glove heritage"  that spans ten full pages.

"Suur kindaraamat - Eesti kihelkondade mustrid" by Reet Piiri

The book lacks instructions on how to knit a traditional Estonian mitten. You will have to look for such information elsewhere. But as a "library" of Estonian mittens patterns it is a treasury.

"Suur kindaraamat - Eesti kihelkondade mustrid" by Reet Piiri

The patterns are grouped by the regions from which they stem. Unfortunately the texts about the different regions are only in Estonian. Well, you can't get everything - I still recommend this book as fantastic!

Silmuskudumine by Claire Hallik

I am a bit exasperated that the book "Silmuskudumine" by Claire Hallik (270 pages) is only in Estonian. It contains a lot of information that I would like to be able to access. It seems as if it was first published in 1957, and have been reprinted in 2009.

Silmuskudumine by Claire Hallik

It seems as if it spans all the information an Estonian knitter needs from casting-on through different techniques for textured patterns, multi-coloured patterns, fringes, plaids. There are also charts at the end that makes it possible to "solve" many of the patterns even if you do not understand Estonian. It would be great if this book would be released in an Eglish translation.

Silmuskudumine by Claire Hallik - chart section

Estonia has a fantastic tradition also when it comes to lace knitting. My post in 2012 listed some favourites. Added to those in 2013 was "Helga Rüütli sallid - Knitted Shawls of Helga Rüütli"

Helga Rüütel and Siiri Reimann - "Helga Rüütli sallid - Knitted Shawls of Helga Rüütli"

The text is in Estonian and English. Lots and lots of charts for shawls. The introduction is a good summary:
"Helga has given a title to each of her designs and, with the accuracy of an accountant, she has charted all her patterns. Including her last designs, the number of patterns that she has created is close to two hundred. This book gathers a choice of Helga Rüütel's shawls together with their stitch patterns.
The pattern book of this master knitter will serve as an addition to the book "Haapsalu Shawl" (Reimann, Siiri and Edasi, Aime, Saara Publishing, Türi, Estonia, 2009), for this reason, this book does not include any detailed instructions for making a Haapsalu shawl."

Helga Rüütel and Siiri Reimann - "Helga Rüütli sallid - Knitted Shawls of Helga Rüütli"

A favourite is also "Knitted Lace of Estonia" by Nancy Bush. Published in 2008 this has become almost a classic for knitters interested in Estonian Lace knitting.

"Knitted Lace of Estonia" by Nancy Bush

History, techniques and patterns. There are projects of various difficulty. I especially like that the book has information about the history and traditions of Estonian Lace knitting.

"Knitted Lace of Estonia" by Nancy Bush

"Eesti kirivööd" by Piia Rand

This is a book for all you band weavers all over the world. In 2013 "Eesti kirivööd" by Piia Rand was published. Almost 300 pages packed with patterns for Estonian bands. 

"Eesti kirivööd" by Piia Rand

Unfortunately all the texts are in Estonian. But since there are pictures and charts for each of the bands an experienced band-weaver should be able to make the best use of them.

"Eesti kirivööd" by Piia Rand

if you are not a band-weaver there are still so many beautiful patterns in this book. You could easily use them for knitting. I am not a skilled weaver but I had to buy this book. I tell myself that when I get more time I will spend more time weaving. 

Ingrid Uus "Noppeid Kihnu Näputööst - Mõnõd noppõd kihnu njäputüest"

This is also a book that to some extent exasperates me by being only in Estonian. It is Ingrid Uus "Noppeid Kihnu Näputööst - Mõnõd noppõd kihnu njäputüest", 2012.

Ingrid Uus "Noppeid Kihnu Näputööst - Mõnõd noppõd kihnu njäputüest"

It is a little more than 100 pages with project from different textile crafts. Knitting (of course), embroidery, sewing (hats, bags, dolls, teddy bears).

Ingrid Uus "Noppeid Kihnu Näputööst - Mõnõd noppõd kihnu njäputüest"

Instructions for project bags. I have heard that they are very popular in Estonia.
In the picture above you can see one that we received as a gift from a friend. 
There are also charts for stitch patterns used on mittens.

Ingrid Uus "Noppeid Kihnu Näputööst - Mõnõd noppõd kihnu njäputüest"

I am so glad to have some of the fantastic books that have been published in Estonia during this last decade. The history and textile tradition is impressive and I can't stop looking at the patterns in amazement.