Know your Needles

The EXARC Show

In this month's episode of Finally Friday, Matilda chats with two specialists in nalbinding to find out all the details of the development, origins, and variety of this unique craft.

Niina-Hannele Nuutinen (Nele) is the co-ordinator of the EXARC textiles working group and a masters student in Crafting Science at the University of Eastern Finland, where she looks at identifying structure vs technique in different kinds of non-woven textiles. Emma Boast is an archaeological small finds specialist with the University of York Department of Archaeology, specialising in early medieval and Viking Age material culture, and is also registered with the UK Guild of Master Craftsmen as a professional nalbinder with her business Nidavellnir.

Together, our guests discuss their experiences and answer those burning questions that I'm sure all of us have had about nalbinding. Where and when did nalbinding start? What is the difference between it and knitting or crochet? How can we know if it's the right craft for us to try out? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this month's episode!

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