Digits & Threads is no longer publishing new content, but please enjoy the archives, which will remain available through the summer of 2025.

Tag: history

Threaded Through Time: The Ancient Art of Nålbinding

[Open Access] Nålbinding (pronounced noll-bin-ding) is a single-needle technique that uses lengths of fibre and a broad, flat needle to create a stretchy, ribbed fabric composed of interlocking loops. It pre-dates both knitting and crochet and—despite superficial similarities—has no evolutionary relationship to either. Writer Michelle Woodvine spent months seeking a Canadian connection to the ancient craft, and found it in Newfoundland, at the only authenticated Viking Age Norse settlement in North America.

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Woven In Time: From Historical Swatches to Contemporary Weaving

[Open Access] During a recent restoration project at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, a decades-old book of woven samples was discovered in the rafters. The discovery led to a collaboration with weavers to recreate some of the swatches. Read the tale as reported by the chair of the museum’s board of directors, who has woven (😉) a fascinating tale of textile history and contemporary weaving.

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