A friend sent me a lovely package the other day containing a Viking knit bracelet she made for me and a draw plate and dowel so that I could try Viking knit for myself (thank you, Star!). I slapped the bracelet on my wrist, tore open the kit and took to knittin' LOL. I managed to produce a tolerable first attempt within a couple of hours, but it definitely needed refinement. My second attempt was a little better - more even. Here's a peek at both of them - the one on the left is the first one.
I have to admit I'm hooked. There is something absolutely fascinating in a technique where you can take this:
And make this:
Pull it through a hole in a paddle a few times and get this:
Want to see that again?
I'm addicted. If you want to give this a try, Star said she got the kit for under $10 at a craft store chain (or you can find them online). You will also need some 24 or 26 gauge wire, a little 20 gauge wire, tape and a pair of snips to cut the wire. The kit comes with some written instructions, but there are lots of tutorials online. I watched a video on You Tube and used that to supplement the instructions in the packet (well, that and a little trial-and-error). It's addicting, though. Don't say I didn't warn you.
