Today I wanted to share with you a quick ‘how to’ for making Viking Knit ‘chain’.
You will need:
- a ruler, or piece of cardboard, or credit card,
- a pencil or piece of wooden dowel,
- wire – the higher the gauge the finer and more flexible the finished piece will be. I recommend starting with 24g for the starter base and 26 or 28g for the actual piece,
- and a wooden draw plate – a piece of wood with several holes of varying sizes drilled in is all you need.
- Using some scrap wire, wrap 5 – 6 times around your piece of cardboard or ruler (I recommend 6 when you’re starting for a really nice tight knit.
- Wrap one of the ends around to make a ‘bunch’
- Spread the ‘prongs’ out.
- Arrange on the end on your pencil. It’s a good idea to use a pencil with hexagonal sides when you’re starting out as the ridges can act as your guide. Alternatively you could draw lines down your pencil/dowel.
- Use a small piece of tape to hold everything in place.
- Loop your piece of base wire through a loop of a prong.
- Continue around the pencil/dowel taking your working wire to the right, through each prong loop and back over your made loop.
- On your next row work your wire behind the loop of the 1st row.
- Continue until you have several rows completed
- OK, you’re ready to start with your ‘good’ wire, work in as you did to start the base
- Keep working your rows until you have the length you want (remembering that it will get longer when you stretch it through the draw plate – it can double depending on how much you want to stretch it). For this tutorial, I have just done a small length. *Tip* – start pulling your work off the pencil as it gets longer. This will help you at the end as a long length of tube can be impossible to pull off the pencil/dowel if you haven’t!
- When done, pull your work completely off the pencil/dowel and use your cutters to snip the 1st row of ‘base’ off your working piece. Thread a piece of scrap wire through the loops to use as a handle to pull your work through the draw plate.
- Starting with the largest hole, pull your work through the plate.
- Progress through the holes until you have the look you want.
- That's it! You’re done and can now finish your tube with cord ends etc to make a necklace or bracelet. Don’t forget you can use your copper wire base to make more tubes and won’t need to make another one until you’ve cut off all the rows!
- Try using different colour wire (good quality to ensure the plating doesn’t come off when you’re drawing it down) and different wire gauges to get different looks.
- *Tip* There are fancy shmancy viking knit tools available which negate the need for making a base. I have never used one so I can’t recommend, BUT, I do sometimes use the bottom of a snap dome blu-tacked to the top of my pencil/dowel instead of a wire ‘bunch’ and copper base. Something you could try as you become more experienced .
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UPDATE: 2 April 2013 ... hi guys, here's something to try when you master single viking knit ... double knit and varieagated knit .... http://wildflowerdesignsnz.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/viking-knit-tutorial-variations-double.html
Mel x
Thanks for the tutorial. I've played with Viking knitting a while back but have been meaning to give it another go and you've just spurred me on.
ReplyDeleteOh excellent Jacqui - let me know how you get on :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the tutorial :) I've crocheted wire and french knitted it, but this will be a new challenge for me.
ReplyDeleteYay Deb - look forward to seeing what you create :)
ReplyDeleteWhat an intricate thing to do! Heavens above, I think I'll leave the creating to you on this one Mel! Thank you for posting such an informative and interesting tutorial with great explanatory photos! Hands down to you.:)
ReplyDeleteIt does look intricate Louise, but it really is super easy, and the more you do it the quicker you get! Bookbinding on the other hand ... now that's intricate - hats off to you too ;D
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tutorial Mel, am going to bookmark this for sure! Really great post with very clear photos and explanation... I have ideas for a viking type sister.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mel, this looks like something I could have a go at and the instructions & photos are really clear :)
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of using the snap on the end of the rod. It looks like the Lazee Daisy rod you have to pay $25. I will definitely give this a try. Thanks for the tute. Really simple to follow.
ReplyDeleteWonderful ! Thank you so much. I have totally completed a full length of Viking knit ( an entire spool of wire ). I am so proud of myself.I can't believe that I actually did it. Now i have to wait for my Draw Plate to arrive. it won't get here for at least 2 weeks. waaaaa. I wish i knew someone who could drill holes for me in a piece of wood. Oh well. I will just have to wait.
ReplyDeleteBig hugs and love, joey
Oh Yay Joey - that's awesome! But how frustrating you have to wait for your draw plate to arrive. Before I had mine I used a cupboard door that was missing a handle so I could use that hole but I wouldn't recommend it as you really need to start at the largest hole on the draw plate and gradually decrease down!
DeleteI would love to see your finished item - please feel welcome to email me a pic - mel@wildflowerdesigns.co.nz
Best regards,
Mel
Can u use a knitting needle gauge ruler as a draw plate?
ReplyDeleteHi Alexius, I wouldn't if it was a metal one. If wooden then maybe but be prepared for the wire to change the shape of your holes over time if it is a soft wood.
ReplyDeleteLove the snap dome thing! very clever! great tutorial too!
ReplyDeleteHi Charlotte - thank you for the feedback, much appreciated :) Mel
Deletethanks for the tutorial but I have a question what steps do the holes in the draw plate have, I need to make my own cause I'm on a buget so tell me how big the holes are.
ReplyDeleteHi Ellen, I've been trying to find the measurements on-line but am not having much success! My one is a Beadsmith brand and it has 12 holes which apparently range from 1-7mm. Because mine is well used it's not going to be very accurate if I measure them but I guess they must go up in 1/2 mm increments. Hope that helps!
DeleteNice and clear instructions,thanks
ReplyDeletehow do you know how much wire to use for a project? Is there a guidline to follow? I would like to learn how to do this. I would like to try a wrap around bracelet in copper or brass at first of course. Can you work from a spool?
ReplyDeleteHi Meishie, it's a great idea to use a base metal while you practice! You can't work directly from a spool as you are bringing your whole length of wire through each loop. I usually work with a maximum length that stretches from one hand outstretched from my side to the other (about 1.8metres)so I don't get in a tangle with too longer length! Then when that runs out I just cut another of the same size and add that.
DeleteIt's hard to give a guideline of how much wire to use for a project as it depends on your tension of knit, the size dowel/pencil (whatever) you are using, how many loops you start with (most 5 or 6 gives a nice look) and how much you will be drawing the finished chain down.
As a rough guide, you can expect a 23 cm chain to draw down to 46cm (9inch to 18inch). But how much wire you will use to get that 23cm depends on the items mentioned above. I recommend keeping notes of measurements as you practice so you build reference based on your specific knit.
Let me know how you go :-)
I Love to learn something new. great
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU!! This is the BEST tutorial I have ever seen. Your designs are awesome. I have tried that daizy knitter and I could never figure it out from the instructions. But, I just happened across your tutorial one day and I sat down and in less than TEN MINUTES had a 20inch long weave going. THANK YOU!!! I have been wanting to learn this for the longest time. I caught the metal weaving bug when I learned to make chainmaille designs eight years ago and have seen some amazing viking knit pieces, but had never found a good tutorial. This was so simple and inexpensive with common household items. This is just too awesome for words.
ReplyDeleteHi Renee, I'm so pleased you've found my tutorial useful - I always think the simplest things are the best and you shouldn't have to go out and buy expensive tools to create! Thanks so much for your feedback.
DeleteMel :-)
I would also like to give my thanks - your tutorial is by far the most easy to follow, and has taught me a neat new skills in less than 30 mins. I look forward to trying out your macrame method in wire too - that's tomorrow's plan :D
ReplyDeleteUsing a metal or plastic sewing bobbin I think would work great for putting at the end of a pencil or wooden dowel to do viking knit with.
ReplyDeleteUsing a metal or plastic sewing bobbin I think would work great for putting at the end of a pencil or wooden dowel to do viking knit with.
ReplyDeleteI learned this a while back from a "viking" camp and forgot how to do most of it. Thanks for the refresher! also, you can just keep the bunch on there and use it as a key-chain type thing.
ReplyDeletebellissimi lavori, brava ciao.
ReplyDeletebellissimi lavori, brava ciao.
ReplyDeleteI use large paper clips and an elastic to create my flower, that way I don't waste any wire, just slip the paper clips off when ready to pull through the draw plate, use a piece of old waste wire to catch the loops and viola. Works great.
ReplyDeleteGreat basic tutorial! If you would like to try something more intricate I have just published a new tutorial and call it the Viking Knit Split Technique. It works with two colors that split vertically down the middle. Here is the link http://etsy.me/2pRUW2W and would love your feedback. Thanks!
ReplyDeletegenial. depuis une fête médiévale je cherchais comment faire ces magnifiques bracelets façon viking.merci
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ReplyDelete