Nalbinding Needle (A.K.A.: nål (knoll or nahl))

Wife, you called this a needle. But you can't possibly sew anything with it.

— Kimotsuki Yorimoto

No no, silly. They're for a my favorite yarn craft. See?

— Princess ShyRedFox

But that one's almost worn through. I will make you another.

— Kimotsuki Yorimoto

 

What is Nalbinding?

It's an ancient yarn craft, much older than knitting or crochet. The technique utilizes lengths of yarn threaded into a large needle. Using the needle, the crafter forms interlinking knots from passing the needle through selected loops on their thumb. How many loops and what order they are used, determines the stitch. (Some stitches are not done on the thumb, but most are.) The knots make a fabric, which is often thick, dense, and excellent for winter wear. It is also perfect for items that can be made in the round such as hats, mittens, and cowls.
  Because the stitches are knots, the fabric doesn't unravel easily (unlike knitting or crochet) and the items are durable, even if they develop holes. Though if the nalbinder makes a mistake, the knots make it a little difficult to take out stitches.
  Nalbinding may be a bit of a niche hobby, but its popularity is growing!
 
 

What does nalbinding mean?

Nalbinding translates to needle binding. There are many, many ways to spell and say it, because the craft is done in so many countries around the world. (See side panel note on common pronunciations.) It's most well known in Scandinavian countries where the craft found a revival in the 1960s.
  Nål means needle in Norwegian and Swedish, and the Nordic influence seems to have stuck for some of the most commonly seen ways to say the craft.
 

The Needles

Traditionally nalbinding needles are long and thin, and hand carved/shaped from wood, bone, antler, horn, or metal (such as copper or brass). But modern day needle crafters have used all kinds of additional materials too, from woods infused and stabilized with resins, to multi-color laminates, to beautiful acrylics, to circuit boards, to carbon fiber, and what ever else tickles their fancy.
  The size, number, and placement of eye holes can vary.
  Often nalbinders will "stack" yarn, which means they fold most of the yarn so it can be used like a shorter length. The number of eyes or a larger eye allows for this. If you stack the needle, the needle and thread combo is thicker and harder to pull through the stitches.
  Some nalbinders prefer the eye to be at the end of the needle and some prefer it more toward the center. Though too far back and it makes the needle fragile and the yarn harder to pull through the loops to make the knot.
 
  Preference for the length of the needle also varies from nalbinder to nalbinder. Some like shorter needles (about 3-4 in/7-10cm) and some prefer longer ones (about 5-8 in/12-20 cm).
 

Enchantments for nåls

Literomantic enhancements to needles vary by crafter preference. But here's a list of common ones.
 
 

Clawdia, come back with that needle! It's not a chew toy! It was from my mother and her mother before her! *sigh*

— Shyredfox