Who needs to be needled by a needle to be?

We’ve been pretty good about reminding each other to go out for walks—nice for fresh air, to get away from work/computers and to spend some time talking.  It’s been good to stretch legs and watch spring arrive—tulips, forsythia, emerald grass, leaves, cherry, plum, lilac, dogwood and of course, all the yard cleanup and dead branches.  On one of those walks I picked up a few dried out sticks that caught my eye, thinking “surely medieval people would be able to pick up a stick and make a nalbinding needle at need,” pocketed them, and kept going. 

Found them in the pocket a few days later and put them on the countertop.  Came across them a few days later . “Mmmn, was going to do a thing.”  The sticks eyed me from the countertop where I’d deposited them, asking why I’d picked them up if I wasn’t going to go through with this.  I’m not a woodworker so didn’t really know where to start, but finally steeled myself to attempt it, saw a video someone made and decided I just needed to try, so went down to the basement in search of tools.  So many tools…in so many places, from other projects, other people, other times, often languishing because we’ve generally been exhausted and not feeling too artsy.  Don’t really have a knife for whittling (or know what kind of knife that should be) but found a chisel (a bit big, but hey, not a woodworker, so finding one at all was a good thing), and started removing bark and making a pile of wood shavings.  Oh, and shaping a nalbinding needle.

Was pleased the wood wasn’t too hard, but I’d cut it a little short so it was hard to hold onto while I worked it.  Still, I was happy with how it was going.  A bump here and a spot there I needed to remove/work around, but ok.  Figured I was at a place where I could make the eye of the needle and then finish up with some sanding to clean it up.  Started working the eye with a thin awl I found.  Things looked to be going pretty well and then the whole thing split.  Not too surprising since, well, even I know a random piece of wood on a walk that wasn’t aged consistently and had seen who knows what kind of life before it fell to the ground in winter weather might have some stress fractures and end up broken.  Waste of time?  No, took the other half of the stick and what I’d learned so far and tried making wood shavings again (apparently I’m pretty good at that).

This time the stick was a bit longer, although slightly curved.  It, being from the same original stick, was working about the same.  Figured I’d make the eye hole sooner this time in case it cracked again.  Seemed to work ok.  Kept shaping and found it shaped itself.  The curvature of the stick seemed to lend itself nicely to the shape of my hand.  It sanded well and felt good.  I’m pretty pleased with the result (top, smaller curved needle).  Did some nalbinding with it and it seems to work ok.  Thought I might make the eye a little larger next time, and the length a little longer, but all in all a win. 

Decided a couple days later to try with some other woods that had been intentionally cured.  I tried poplar.  It was fairly soft and easy to work, and a pleasure to sand.  Then tried oak.  It was a bit harder to work, but I kept at it and a needle took shape.  It kept wanting to twist so that was a constant battle, but ultimately I think it turned out ok too.  Haven’t added the eye hole yet (my hands got really tired working on it).  The awl may not be the right tool for this harder wood.  We’ll see.  Now I guess I have to learn how to sharpen chisels….  Seems one thing always leads to another.  :)